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1 


6 


COLUMBUS 


THE   NAVIGATOR 


t^e  ^torg  of  gie  Eife  anb  ^orft 

TOGETHER    WITH 

An  Account  of  the  pre-Columbian  Discovery 
OF  America 


BY 


/ 


HENRY  FREDERIC  REDDALL 

AUTHOK    OF   "FROM  THE  GOI.nKN    CATF.  TO  THE    GOI.DPN    llclRN,"    "  THE  SUNNY  SIDE  OP 
POLITICS,"   "  FACT,  FANCV,  AND   FABl.li,"  ETC. 


OOPYniwi^^^  '^.^ 


NEW  YORK 

EMPIRE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
146  AND  148  Worth  Street 


J 


CoPYmCHT,    l8q2, 
BY 

UNITED  STATES  BOOK  COMPANY. 
[All  rights  reservei/.] 


C.W^ 


e 


« 


/ 


7  9  C 


\i 


ii' 


COLUMBUS. 


(AT    HAVANA.) 

'  There,  'mid  these  paradises  of  the  seas, 

The  root  beneath  of  this  cathedral  old, 
That  lifts  its  suppliant  arms  above  the  trees. 

Each  clasping  in  Its  hand  a  cross  of  gold, 

Columbus  sleeps— his  crumbling  tomb  below  I 
By  faith  his  soul  rose  eagle-winged  and  free, 

And  reachetl  that  power  whose  wisdom  never  fails. 
Wallced  'mid  the  kindled  stars,  and  reverently 

Tlie  light  earth  weighed  in  God's  own  golden  scales 
A  man  of  ijassions  lilie  to  men's  was  he. 

He  overcame  them,  and  with  hope  and  trust 
Made  strong  his  soul  for  higher  destiny, 
And,  following  Christ.,  he  walked  upon  the  sea; 

The  waves  upheld  him,— what  is  here  is  dust." 

—Hezekiah  Butterworth, 


Hit  II  ypji'  -»jfW  ■■■".■.?g! 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PACB. 

The  Norseman 11 

CHAPTER  II. 
A  New  Europe —   40 

CHAPTER  III. 
Christopher  Columbus 00 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Across  the  Western  Ocean 157 

CHAPTER  V. 
Results  akd  Bbwards ^f2l 


~\: 


^■'■fir'-  "^'  -i"''^'r'-  ■-'■'—"—' 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


'     I 


FAOB 

^  PoRTHAiT  OF  CHRISTOPHER  C0LUMBD8 Frotitispiece. 

-i  Norsemen  on  the  Coast  of  America 14 

V  Leif  Ericson 24 

V  Map  op  Vinland 30 

'■J  The  Old  Stone  Mill,  Newport 34 

>/ The  Yanez  Portrait  OF  Columbus 102 

V  Columbus's  first  Interview  ^vith  Father  Perez 134 

V  Columbus  recalled  by  order  of  Isabella 142 

^Columbus  received  by  Isabella 148 

^  Father  Juan  and  Garcia  watching  the  Departure 

of  Columbus 156 

"^  The  Ships  of  Columbus 178 

^  Columbus  presenting  an  "  Indian  "  to  Ferdinand 

and  Isabella 210 

^  Columbian  Monument  designed  by  Jose  de  Man- 

jabres 218 

^  bobadilla  locking  columbus  in  a  dungeon 264 

^  Columbus  sent  to  Spain  in  chains 268 

•*  Death  of  Columbus 276 

■i  Sunal's  Statue  of  Columbus,  Central  Park,  New 

York 280 


!.:   * 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


Probably  none  of  the  world's  men  of  mark  has 
been  more  frequently  AViitten  about  than  Chris- 
topher Columbus,  and  it  may  be  that  there  is 
nothing   very   new   to   be   said   concerning    his 


career. 


But  it  seemed  to  the  author  that  at  this  junc- 
ture, with  the  four  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
Columbian  re-discovery  of  America  at  hand,  there 
was  room  for  a  sketch  which  should  present  in 
brief  form  the  life-story  of  the  great  explorer, 
and  at  the  same  time  acquaint  the  reader  with  t!".e 
facts  concerning  the  pre-Columbian  discoveries 
and  voyages  in  the  Western  World  by  the  Norse- 
men from  Iceland  and  Greenland  in  the  tenth  and 
eleventh  centuries  of  our  era. 

There  are  upward  of  a  hundred  notable  books 
dealing  with  the  discovery  of  America,  dating 
from  1076  to  1892.     Washington  Ir\4ng's  «  Life  " 


D 


KSRU^ 


10 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


■  V  ' 


can  never  be  surpassed  as  a  romance  j  he  had  access 
to  materials  and  documents  never  before  collated. 
Next  in  value  stand  Prescott's  "  Reign  of  Ferdi- 
nand and  Isabella,"  and  Sir  Arthur  Helps'  brief 
biography  of  the  great  admiral,  and  his  "  History 
of  the  Spanish  Conquest  in  America."     Professor 
Tarducci  published  in  1891  an  exceedingly  able 
and  painstaking  life  of  the  great  pioneer,  as  did 
Mr.  Justin  Winsor,  in  1892.     These  works  prac- 
tically exhaust  the  subject,  though  they  are  not 
mucfi  read  by  the  masses,  and  they  have  been 
freely  consulted  in  the  preparation  of  the  present 
book.     To  them  and  to  Laing's  "  Heimskringla,'| 
Da  Costa's  "  Pre-Columbian  Discovery  of  Amei4ca," 
Brinton's  "  Myths  of  the  New  World,"   Professor 
Rasmus  B.  Anderson's  "  America  not  Discovered 
by  Columbus,"  Marie  A.  Brown's  (Mrs.  Shipley) 
"Icelandic  Discoveries  of  America,"  Mr.  J.  B. 
Shipley's  "  English  Re-Discovery  and  Colonization 
of  America,"     Mrs.  J.  B.  Shipley's  "  Leif  Ericson 
and  not  Columbus  the  Discoverer  of  America," 
and  her  "Suppressed  Historical  Facts  Concerning 
the  Discovery  of  America,"  the  reader  is  referred 
who  desires  to  pursue  this  fascinating  theme  at 
greater  length.  ^   ^  ^^ 

Xkw  Yuuk,  1892. 


d  access 
iollated. 
f  Feidi- 
)s'  brief 
History 
rofessor 
gly  able 
,  as  did 
ks  prac- 
are  not 
ve  been 
>  present 
tringla," 
menca," 
'rofessor 
scovered 
Shipley) 
r.  J.  13. 
onization 
f  Ericson 
imerica," 
>ncerning 
I  referred 
theme  at 

.  F.  K. 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOK. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    N  O  R  S  K  M  E  N  , 

"  Lightly  the  long-snake 
Loaps  after  tonipfsts, 
<iaily  tlic  siin-i;lt>aiu 
(ilows  after  laiii. 
Ill  lal)<;r  and  ilarinj; 
Lies  liK'k  for  all  mortals. 


Nornr  Sar/a. 


Who  first  "  discovered  "  America  will  probably 
never  be  known,  but  "  discovered  "  it  was  many 
thousands  of  years  prior  to  the  Heeting  visits  of 
the  Scandinavian  vikings  to  the  coasts  of  New 
Ensrland  and  Newfoundland.  Far  back  in  the 
childhood  or  the  early  manhood  of  the  human 
race  the  great  Western  Continent  was  peopled,  at 
least  in  part,  either  by  migrations  from  the  east 


mMMmKr^^imtaiiti'iitif 


iiijtvf\Hf^m.^^f;fi^^^ 


■-"JW 


I 


,.,  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOlt. 

across  the  Atlantic  or  from  the  west  across  the 
Pacific.     These  primitive  peoples  were  the   first 
immigrants  to  America.     But  the  links  of  com- 
munication with  the  continents  on  either  hancl- 
if  such  ever existed-werehroken, and  "this  New 
World  which  is  the  Old"  was  unknown  to  Europe 
until  the  eighth  or  tenth  century  of  our  era.     Even 
then  the  veil  of  ohscurity  was  only  lifted  for  a 
brief  glimpse  of  the  beyond,  and  then  dropped 
^vhile   Europe   slumbered  in   the  apathy   of  the 
Dark  Ages  for  mu.ther  five  hundred  years. 

It  is  a  curious  but  none  the  less  well-attested 
fact  that  among  the  mythical  traditions  of  the  pre- 
Colun^bian    ^habitants    of   Ame.ica-Mexioans, 
Peruvians,   Aztecs,  and  Indians-was  the   belief 
that  their   national   heroes,  depicted  as   fair    of 
skin  and  nvighty  in  battle,  should  at  some  not 
distant  day  return  and  restore   the    race   to   its 
pristine     power    and    influence.     Always    these 
mighty  ones  were  to  come  from  the  east,  whence 
thly  were    named   the   "Dawn   Heroes."     And 


-wrf^«=w<^^*--vt»***"«^  '*"»*^"**"" 


•OSS  the 
he  lii'st 
of  eom- 

liancl — 
his  New 
)  Europe 
u  Even 
ed  for  a 

dropped 
^  of  the 
irs. 

l-attested 
I  the  pre- 
Mexioans, 
;he   belief 
s   fair    of 

some  not 
vce  to  its 
ays  these 
,st,  whence 
OS."     And 


<H)L  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOIt.  13 

here,  says  Brinton,  in  his  "  Myths  of  the  New 
Workl,"  "  was  one  of  those  unconscious  prophecies 
pointing  to  the  advent  of  a  white  race  from  tiie 
east  that  wrote  the  doom  of  the  red  man  in  letters 
of  fire.     Historians  have  marveled  at  the  instan- 
taneous collapse  of  the  empires  of  Mexico    and 
Peru,  the  Mayas,  and  the  Natchez,  before  a  hand- 
fid   of   Spanish   filibusters.     The  fact   was  that 
wherever  the   whites    appeared   they  were    con- 
nected with  these  ancient  predictions  of  the  Spirit 
of  the  Dawn  returning  to  claim  his  own.     Ob- 
scure and  ominous  prophecies,  '  texts  of  bodefid 
mn-y,'  rose  in  the  memory  of  the  natives  and 
paralyzed  their  arms." 

"  For  a  very  long  time,"  said  Montezuma,  at  his 
first  interview  with  Cortes,  "  has  it  been  handed 
down  that  we  are  not  the  original  possessoi.)  of 
this  land,  but  came  hither  from  a  distant  region 
under  the  guidance  of  a  ruler  who  afterward  left 
us  and  never  returned.  We  have  ever  believed 
that  some  day  his  descendants  would  come  and 


i 


I 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  15 

resume  dominion  over  us.  Inasmuch  as  you  are 
from  that  direction,  which  is  toward  the  rising  of 
the  sun,  and  serve  so  great  a  king  as  you  describe, 
we  believe  that  he  is  also  our  natural  lord,  and 
are  ready  to  submit  ourselves  to  him."  The 
subjects  of  Montezuma  beUeved  that  the  day  which 
saw  the  coming  of  fair  and  bearded  strangers  from 
the  east  wovJd  bring  them  freedom  from  slavery, 
and  hence  when  they  first  set  eyes  on  the  white- 
skinned  Spaniards  "  they  rushed  into  the  water  to 
embrace  the  prows  of  their  vessels,  and  dispatched 
messengers  throughout  the  land,  to  proclaim  the 
joyful  tidings." 

Brinton  says  that  the  natives  of  Haiti  told 
Columbus  of  kindred  prophecies  which  were  in 
chculation  long  before  his  landing ;  the  Maryland 
Indians  said  "  the  whites  were  an  old  generation 
revived,  who  had  come  back  to  kill  their  nation 
and  usurp  their  places." 

Probably  there  is  nothing  more  in  these  tradi- 
tions and  their  apparent  fulfilment  than  a  mere 


--""— — — "—«"'*"'*°' 


10  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

coincidence.  Certain  it  is,  however,  that  if  a 
distinctively  white  race  were  wanted  to  personate 
the  "  Dawn  Heroes,"  a  people  from  a  colder  and 
more  northerly  clhne  than  Spain  would  have 
suited  all  the  conditions  far  better  than  the 
swarthy  Spaniards.  And  it  is  to  such  a  white  race 
that  the  honor  of  the  first  discovery  of  America 
by  Europeans  must  be  awarded— the  flaxen-haired 
and  fail-skinned  Norsemen. 

"  At  a  moment,"  says  a  recent  writer,  "  when 
the  hardy  and  independent  inhabitants  of  Iceland 
are  once  more  deserting-  in  large  numbers  their 
island  homes  for  the  purpose  of  seeking  in  Can- 
ada and  in  our  north-western  States  a  soil  more 
generous  and  more  grateful  than  that  which  so 
sparingly  covers  the  barren  and  arid  rock  which 
figures  as  the  outpost  of  Europe  in  the  North 
Atlantic  Ocean,  it  is  worthy  of  being  remembered 
that  a  similar  migration  of  Icelanders  to  America 
took  place  nine  hundred  years  ago.     On  that  occa- 
sion they  had  no  raiboad  trains  and  emigrant  cars 


,/ 


/ 


at  if  a 
ersonate 
Ider  and 
Id  have 
lian  the 
hite  race 
America 
jn-haired 

•,  "  when 
f  Iceland 
lers  their 
T  in  Can- 
ioil  more 
which  so 
ick  which 
;he  North 
uembered 
)  America 
that  occa- 
grant  cars 


T 


COL  UMB  US  TUB  NA  VIGA  TOR.  1 ' 

to  convey  them  into  the  interior,  and  therefore  were 
content  to  settle  down  in  Massachusetts,  Rhode 
Island,  Nova  Scotia,  and  Labrador,  where  numer^ 
ons  traces  of  their  former  presence  remain  to  this 
day.  They  gave  the  name  of  '  V^jnland '  to  their 
newly-discovered  colony,  estaL  tsi)«^d  ^jarishes  and 
monasteries  and  churches  that  were  placed  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Bishops  of  Greenland,  and 
dispatched  Dame  Gudrid,  the  wife  of  one  of  their 
principal  leaders,  on  a  mission  or  pilgrimage  to 
Rome.  While  there  she  was  received  with  much 
graciousness  by  Pope  Urban,  and  was  able  to  give 
both  to  him  and  to  his  court  a  full  account  of  the 
Icelandic  colony  in  America.  The  information 
which  she  furnished,  together  with  the  reports 
addressed  to  Rome  by  the  Bishops  of  Greenland 
concerning  their  diocesan  voyages  to  Vinland, 
renders  it  a  matter  of  certainty  that  the  Papacy 
at  any  rate  was  perfectly  aware  of  the  existence 
of  America  for  at  least  a  couple  of  hundred  years 
prior  to   its  alleged    discovery  by   Columbus." 


i 


18  COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVIGATOB. 

But,  as  Rudyard  Kipling  would  say,  "  this  is  an- 
other story,"  and  of  these  events  we  shall  treat  at 
greater  length  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

It  is  only  within  the  last  few  decades  that  the 
historic  fact  of  the  Norse  discoveries  and  coloni- 
zations of  Greenland  and  North-eastern  America 
has  been  established  beyond  cavil.     "  Since  1838, 
when,  through  the  efforts  of  Rafn  and  the  Royal 
Society  of  Copenhagen,  the  Scandinavian   sagas 
have  been  submitted  to  the  critical  judgment  of 
Europe,  all  ground  of  doubt  has  been  removed. 
It  is  now  conceded  that  Greenland,  Labrador, 
Newfoundland,   Nova  Scotia,   and    perhaps   the 
north-eastern  parts   of  the  United  States,  were 
'      visited  and  to  a  Umited  extent  colonized  before 
the  Norman  conquest  of  England." 

The  history  of  the  Norwegians,  or  Norsemen, 
only  becomes  authentic  with  their  conversion  to 
Christianity,  at  the  close  of  the  tenth  century ;  all 
records  previous  to  this  date  consist  in  great  part 
of  a  farrago  of  bombastic  mythology  and  legend- 


'VLiaat 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


19 


5  IS  an- 
treat  at 

;hat  the 
[  coloni- 
\merica 
•e  1838, 
le  Royal 
n   sagas 
ment  of 
removed, 
iabrador, 
naps   the 
bes,  were 
jd  before 

Norsemen, 
version  to 
itury;  all 
great  part 
ad  legend- 


ary history.  But  enough  is  known  of  these  hardy 
sea-kings  to  make  it  certain  that  they  were  the 
most  intrepid  voyagers  of  their  day.  "In  the 
ninth  and  tenth  centuries  the  beaks  of  then*  long 
ships  were  seen  in  every  known  port  of  Europe  as 
far  south  and  east  as  the  Golden  Horn  ;  their 
armed  aid  could  be  secured  by  any  ruler  who 
could  afford  to  pay  for  it."  They  were  the 
wolves  of  the  high-seas. 

"  The  discovery  of  Greenland  by  the  Icelanders 
about  the  year  981,"  says  Laing,  "and  the 
establishment  of  considerable  colonies  on  one  or 
on  both  sides  of  that  vast  peninsula  which  ter- 
minates at  Cape  Farewell,  are  facts  which  no 
lono-er  admit  of  any  reasonable  doubt."  The 
chief  documentary  evidence  in  the  case  is  the  now 
famous  "  Heunskringla,  or  Chronicle  of  the  Kings 
of  Norway,"  otherwise  known  as  the  Sagas  of 
Snorro  Sturleson,  a  work  which  has  been  trans- 
lated into  various  languages  and  commented  on 
by  many  able  writers. 


21 »  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

Snorro  Sturleson,  or  Snorri  Sturlason,  the  Ice- 
landic poet  and  historian,  was  born  in  1178,  at 
Hvami,  in  Iceland.     He  was  the  son  of  Sturla 
Thordsson,  the  founder  of  the  powerful  family 
named  Sturlung.     By  his  marriage,  in  1199,  with 
Herdys,  and  after  her  death,  with  Hallveg  Orms- 
datter,  he  gained  great  possessions,  and  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  attending  the  Althing  with  a  follow- 
ing of  nearly  a  thousand  retainers.     In  the  year 
1218  he  traveled  to  Norway,  where  he  spent  two 
years.     Returning  to  Iceland,  he  was,  in  1237, 
obliged  to  exile  himself  to  Norway  on  account  of 
the  hostility  of  his  brother  and  nephew.     Pos- 
sessed of  wonderful  poetical  powers,  he  helped 
his  patron  and  protector,  Skuli,  in  a  war  against 
King  Hakon.     In  consequence,  on  his  return  to 
Iceland,  he  Avas,  by  order  of  Hakon,  murdered 
by  Ruykholt,   on  the   22d  of   September,  1241. 
Snorro  Sturleson  was   the  last   and  one  of  the 
greatest  of  the  Northern  scalds  or  bards.     He 
was  the   author   of  a  great   number  of  scaldic 


the  Ice- 
178,  at 
Sturla 
family 
)9,  with 
g  Onns- 
s  was  in 
I  foUow- 
the  year 
lent  two 
in  1237, 
count  of 
w.     Pos- 
B  helped 
r  against 
return  to 
nurdered 
er,  1241. 
,e  of  the 
,rds.     He 
)f  sealdic 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  21 

epics,  and  is  usually  regarded  as  the  compiler  of 
the  "  Younger  Edda."  His  writings  were  regarded 
as  being  in  the  main  faithful  descriptions  of 
actual  occurrences,  though  interlarded  with  much 
that  was  mere  romance. 

According  to  geographers  and  historians, 
Greenland  was  discovered  in  the  ninth  century 
by  an  Icelander  or  Norwegian  named  Gumbiorn, 
son  of  Ulf  Kraka.  He  was  "  driven  by  a  storai 
to  the  west  of  Iceland,  and  discovered  a  great 
country,  of  which  he  brought  the  news  to  Ice- 
land. Soon  after,  one  Eric  the  Red  was  con- 
demned at  Thornaes  Thing,  in  Iceland,  to  banish- 
ment for  a  murder  he  had  committed.  He  fitted 
out  a  vessel,  and  told  his  friends  he  would  go 
and  find  the  land  which  Gumbiorn  had  seen,  and 
come  back  and  let  them  know  what  kind  of  a 
country  it  was.  Eric  sailed  west  from  Iceland 
to  the  east  coast  of  Greenland,  and  then  followed 
the  shore  southward,  looking  for  a  convenient 
place  in  which  to  dwell.      He  passed  the  first 


.:l 


22  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

winter   on  an   isle  which  from  him  was   calleJ 
Eric's  Isle.     After  passing  three  years  in  examin- 
ing the  coast,  he  returned  to  Iceland,  and  gave 
such  a  fine  account  of  the  country  that  it  was 
called  Greenland  ;  the  following  year,  twenty-five 
vessels,  with  colonists,  were  sent  out  with  hhn  to 
dwell  there,  hut  only  ahout  one  half  reached  their 
destination,  some  having  turned  hack  and  some 
being  lost  in  the  ice.     Many  came  over  from  Ice- 
land from  time  to  time,  and  the  country  was  set- 
tled wherever  it  Avas  habitable."     lu  this  account 
there    is    nothing    incredible     or     inconsistent. 
Greenland  was  to  Iceland  what  Iceland  had  been 
to  Norway-a  place  of  refuge  for  the  sui-plus 
population,  and  for  those  who  had  no  land  or 
means   of    hving.       The   extinction   of   such   a 
colony,  after  existing  for  four  hundred  years,  is 
certamly  more  extraordinary  than  its  establish- 
ment, and  almost  justifies  the  doubt  whether  it 
ever  existed.     Several  causes  are  given  for  this 
extraordinary  circumstance.      Que  is  the  accumu- 


-sniBsmmiSMwm!^ 


,  ?sww*^ 


called 
sranin- 
l  gave 

it  was 
ity-five 
liini  to 
id  their 
J  some 
om  Ice- 
vas  set- 
account 
isistent. 
id  been 

surplus 
land  or 

such  a 
years,  is 
istablish- 
lethev  it 

for  this 

accumu- 


COLUMnVS  THE  XAVIOATOR.  28 

lation  of  ice  on  both  sides  of  this  vast  peninsula ; 
another  cause  was  probably  the  great  pestilence, 
called  the  Black  Death,  which  appeared  in 
Europe  about  1349,  and  which  seems  to  have 
raged  with  singular  virulence  in  the  north.  It 
is  supposed  by  some  that  this  pestilence  either 
swept  oft'  the  whole  population  of  the  colony, 
or  weakened  it  so  much  that  the  survivors  were 
at  last  cut  off  by  the  Esquimaux,  with  whom 
the  colonists  appeared  to  have  been  always  at 

enmity." 

It  is  now  the  generally  received  opinion  among 
historians  and  critics  that  the  discovery  of 
America,  or  Vinland,  by  Norse  voyagers  from 
Greenland  or  Iceland  rests  upon  as  satisfactory 
evidence  as  the  colonization  of  Greenland  by  the 
same  hands.  The  verdict  of  the  modern  world 
was  in  fact  proclaimed  when,  in  the  city  of 
Boston,  in  the  year  1887,  there  was  erected  a 
statue  to  "  Leif  the  Discoverer." 

The  story  of  these  Norse  voyages,  as  told  in 


■MMMM*P«*NMMh« 


I 


it/'  I'ricnuii, 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


25 


the  Sagas  of  Snorro  Sturleson  is  quite  diffuse, 
being  as  usual  mingled  with  and  marred  by 
many  heroic  and  half-mythical  details.  The  fol- 
lowino-  abridgment  is  from  Samuel  Laing's  trans- 
lation of  the  "  Heimskringla." 

"  Eric  the  Red,  in  the  spring  of  986,  emigrated 
from  Iceland  to  Greenland  with  Herjulf  Bardson. 
He  fixed  his  abode  at  Brattalid,  in  Ericsfiord ; 
Herjulf  settled  at  Herjulfsness.     Biorne,  the  son 
of  the  latter,  was  absent  in  Norway  at  the  time, 
and  finding  on  his  return  that  his  father  was 
gone,  resolved  to  follow  him,  and  put  to  sea.     As 
winter  was  approaching,  they  had  bad  weather, 
northerly  winds   and   fogs,  and   did   not   know 
where  they  were.     When  it  cleared  up  they  saw 
a  land  without  mountains,  but  with  many  small 
hills,  and  covered  with  wood.     This  not  answer- 
ing the   description  of  Greenland,  they  turned 
about,  and  after  sailing  two  days  they  came  to 
another  land,  flat  and  covered  with  wood.     Then 
they  stood  out  to  sea  with  a   southwest  wind, 


I 


m 


28  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOK. 

and   saUing  with   fresh  gales  reached,  in   four 
days     more,    Herjulfsness     in     Greenland,     his 
father's  abode.     Some  years  after  this,  supposed 
to  be  about  994,  Biorne  was  in  Norway  on   a 
visit  to  Earl  Eric,  and  was  much  blamed,  when 
he  told  of  his  discovery,  for  not  having  examined 
the  country  he  had  seen  more  accurately.     Leif , 
a  son  of  Eric  the  Red,  bought  his  ship,  when 
Biorne  returned  to  Greenland,  and  with  a  crew 
of    thirty-five   men   set    out   to    look  for  these 
lands.     He  came  first  to  the  land  which  Biorne 
had  seen  last,  landed,  found  no  grass,  but  vast 
icy  mountains  m  the  interior,  and  between  them 
and  the  shore  a  plain  of  flat  slaty  stones,  and 
hence  called  the  country  Hellaland.     They  put 
to  sea,  and  came  to  another  country,  which  was 
level,  covered  with  woods,  with  many  cliffs  of 
white  sand,  and  a  low  coast,  which  they  named 
Markland     ('outfield     or    woodland').      They 
again  stood  out  to  sea  with  a  noitheast  wind, 
and  after  two  days'  sailing  made  land,  and  came 


1  four 
i,  his 
pposed 
f  on  a 
,  when 
;amined 
Leif, 
),  when 

a  crew 
)r  these 
I  Biorne 
but  vast 
en  them 
nes,  and 
'hey  put 
liich  was 

cUffs  of 
y  named 
.  They 
ast  wind, 
and  came 


VOLUMDUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  27 

to  an  island  eastward  of  the  mainland,  and 
entered  into  a  channel  between  the  island  and  a 
point  projecting  northeast  from  the  mainland. 
They  sailed  eastward,  saw  much  ground  laid  dry 
at  ebb  tide,  and  at  last  went  on  shore  at  a  place 
where  a  river  which  came  from  a  lake  fell  into 
the  sea.  They  brought  their  vessel  through  the 
river,  into  the  lake,  and  anchored.  Here  they 
put  up  some  log  huts  ;  but,  after  resolving  to 
winter  there,  they  constructed  larger  booths  or 
houses.  After  lodging  themselves,  Leif  divided 
his  people  into  two  companies,  to  be  employed 
by  turns  in  exploring  the  country  and  working. 

One   of    the    exploring    party,   a 

Gennan  by  birth,  called  Tyrker,  was  one  day 
missing.  They  went  out  to  look  for  him,  and 
soon  met  him,  talking  German,  rolling  his  eyes, 
and  beside  himself.  He  at  last  told  them  in 
Norse,  as  they  did  not  understand  German,  that 
he  had  been  up  the  country,  and  had  discovered 
vines  and  grapes  ;  adding,  *  that  he  should  know 


28  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

what  vines  and  grapes  were,  as  he  was  born  in  a 
country  in  which  they  were  in  plenty.'  They 
occupied  themselves  in  hewing  timber  for  load- 
ing the  vessel,  and  in  collecting  grapes,  with 
which  they  filled  the  ship's  boat.  Leif  called 
the  country  Vinland.     They  sailed  away  in  the 

spring,  and  returned  to  Greenland 

Leif  s   brother,   Thorwald,  set  out,  hi  the  year 
1002,   to   Vinland    in    Leif's   vessel,   and   came 
to   his   booths   or   houses,    and   wintered   there. 
In   the   spring   Thorwald    sent   a   party   in    the 
boat  to  explore  the  coast  to  the  south.     They 
found  the  country  beautiful,  well  wooded,  with 
but    little    space    betwee..    the    woods    and    the 
sea,    and    long    stretches    of    white    sand,    and 
also    many    islands    and    shoals  ;   and    on    one 
island  found  a  corn  barn,  but  no  other  traces 
of    people.     They    returned  in   the   autumn   to 
Leif's  booths.     Next   summer   Thorwald   saUed 
with  the  large  vessel,  first  eastward,  then  north- 
ward, past  a  headland  opposite  to  another  head- 


1  m  a 
They 

•  load- 
,,  Avith 

called 
in  the 

•  •  • 
»e  year 
1  came 

there, 
in   the 
They 
}d,  with 
md    the 
id,    and 
on    one 
jr  traces 
tumn   to 
[d   sailed 
;n  north- 
ler  head- 


COL UMB US  THE  NA  VlGATOlt.  20 

land,  and  forming  a  bay.  They  called  the  first 
headland  Kialarness  (' Keel  Ness ').  They  then 
sailed  into  the  nearest  fiord,  to  a  headland 
covered  with  wood.  Thorwald  went  on  shore, 
and  was  so  pleased  that  he  said  'he  should 
Uke  to  stay  here.'  ....  Next  sum- 
mer, viz.,  1006,  two  ships  from  Iceland  came 

to   Greenland From    thence    they 

sailed    in    a    southerly    direction    to    Hellaland, 
where  they  found   many  foxes.     From   thence, 
sailing   two    days    to   the   south,  they  came   to 
Markland,    a    wooded     country     stocked     with 
animals.       Then    they    sailed    southwest    for    a 
long  time  untU  they  came  to  Kialarness,  where 
there  were  great  deserts  and  long  beaches  and 
sands.     When  they  had  passed  these,  the  land 
was  found  to  be  indented  with  inlets.     They  had 
two  Scots  with  them.  Hake  and  Hekla,  whom 
Leif    had    formerly    received    from    King    Olaf 
Tryggvesson,  and  who  were  very  swift  of  foot. 
They  were  put  on  shore  to  explore  the  country 


I'l 


il 


«-»«'*  MAP  ^W 

i  (II'  ^ 


Chart  of  Norse  Voyages. 


I 


; ' : 


COL  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOR.  If 

to   the   southwest,  and   in   three  days   they  re- 
turned with  some  grapes  and  some  ears  of  wheat 
which  grew  wild   in    that  country.     They  con- 
tinued their  course  until  they  came  to  a  fiord 
which   penetrated   far   into   the   land.     Off   the 
mouth  of  it  was  an  island  with  strong  currents 
around  it,  and  also  up  in  the  fiord.     They  found 
vast  numbers  of  eider  ducks  on  the  island,  so 
that  they  could  scarcely  walk  without  treading 
on  their  eggs.     They  called  the  island  Straumay 
( '  Stream  Isle  ' ),  and  the  fiord  Straumfiord.     A 
party  of  eight  men,  commanded  by  Thorwald,  left 
them   here,   and   went   north   to   seek  Vinland. 
Karlsefne   proceeded   with   Snorro,  Biorne,  and 
the  rest,  in  all  151  men,  southwards.      Those 
who   went    northwards   passed  ICialarness  ;   but 
were  driven  by  westerly  gales  off  the  land,  and  to 
the  coast  of  Ireland,  where,  it  was   afterwards 
reported,  they  were  made  slaves.     Karlsefne  and 
his  men  arrived  at  the  place  where  a  river  issuing 
from  a  lake  falls  into  the  sea.     Opposite  to  the 


-  ,mmMit»>iiiuitsQm 


■  iJiii^iHSfff  ^  ruiwitii  >'ii- 


8-2  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

mouth  of  the  river  were  large  islands.     On  the 

low  grounds  they  found  fields  of  wheat  growing 

wild,  and  on  the  rising  ground  vines 

Karisefne  went  to  Norway  with  a  Vinlaud  cargo 
in  the  summer  of  1012,  and  it  was  considered 
very  valuable.      He  even  sold  a  piece  of  wood 
used  for  a  door-bar  or  a  broomstick  to  a  Bremen 
merchant  for  half  a  mark  of  gold,  for  it  was  of  ^ 
massur-wood  of  Vinland.     He  returned  and  pui^  '^ 
chased  land  in  Iceland,  and  many  people  of  dis- 
tinction are  descended  from   him   and   his   son 
Snorro,  who  was  born  in  Vinland." 

Commenting  on  the  foregoing  concise  narrative, 
Mr.  Laing  observes  that  "  all  the  geographical 
knowledge  that  can  be  drawn  from  the  accounts 
of   the   natural   products   of   Vinland   in    these 
chapters,  points  clearly  to  the  Ubrador  coast,  or 
Newfoundland,  or  some  places  north  u£  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence.      The  description  of  the  land  is 
unsatisfactory   as   a  means   of    discovering    the 
locaUties  m  Vinland  they  visited  without  more 


COLUMBUS  THE  yAriGATOli. 


S3 


tht 


wmg 


L'JlVgO 

(lered 
wood 
•emen 
fas  of 
I  pui- 
•t  dis- 
s   son 

rative, 
iphical 
counts 
these 
ast,  or 
e  Gulf 
land  is 
ig    the 
t  more 


precise  data.  A  country  of  stony  soil,  with  little 
vegetjition  among  the  slaty  fragments  that  cover 
it,  applies  to  all  the  country  from  Hudson's  Bay 
to  Newfoundland.  Markland,  so  called  hecause 
low  or  level  and  covered  with  thick  forests,  as  a 
description,  may  be  apphed  to  any  part  of 
America  as  well  as  to  Nova  Scotia.  An  island 
with  a  sound  between  it  and  the  main,  or  a  low 
shore  with  remarkably  white  sand  cliffs  and 
shallow  water,  a  fiord  or  inlet  of  the  sea,  a  river 
running  out  of  a  lake,  :  bay  between  two 
headlands,  one  of  them  of  a  conspicuous  figure, 
are  good  landmarks  for  identifying  a  country 
of  which  the  position  is  known,  but  good  for 
nothing  as  data  for  fixing  that  position  itself ; 
because  these  are  features  common  to  all  sea- 
coasts,  and,  on  a  small  or  great  scale,  to  be  found 
within  every  hundred  miles. of  a  run  along  the 

seaboard  of  a  country A.11  the  details  seem 

merely  the  filling  up  of  imagination,  to  make  a 
story  of  a  main  fact,  the  discovery  of  Vinland  by 


The  "Stone Mill,"  Xcwjmt. 


COLUMBUS  THE  XAVIGATOR.  85 

certain  personages,  -whose  names,  and  the  fact  of 
their  discovering  unknown  lands  southwest  of 
Greenland,  are  alone  to  he  depended  upon." 

Not    so    very    long    ago    archteologists   who 
favored  the  story  of  Leif  Ericson  were  wont  to 
« point  with  pride "  to  two  objects  of  interest 
on  the  coast  of  New  England— the  stone  tower 
at  Newport  and  Dighton  Eock.     But  nowadays 
the  evidence  which  would  prove  the  one  an  erec- 
tion of  the  Vikings  and  the  hieroglyphics  on  the 
other  to  be  the  mystic  record  of  their  acts  is  too 
slight  to  be  of  value.      The  stone  tower  is  an 
everyday  mill  with  a  modern  pedigree  ;  Dighton 
Rock  was  scratched  by  Indians  if  by  anybody. 

« It  is  not  impossible,"  says  John  Clark  Ridpath, 
« that,  before  the  final  relinquishment  of  Amer- 
ica by  the  Norse  adventurers,  a  sea-wanderer 
from  rugged  Wales  had  touched  our  eastern 
shores.  It  is  claimed  that  the  Welsh  Prince 
Madoc  was  not  less  fortunate  than  Leif  Ericson 
in  finding  the  western  shore  of  the  Atlantic. 


!   il 


il  • 


»'■ 


86  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIOATOR. 

But  the  evidence  of  such  an  exploit  is  far  less 
satisfactory  than  that  hy  which  the  Icelandic  dis- 
coveries have  been  authenticated.     According  to 
the  legend  which  the  Cambrian  chroniclers  with 
patriotic   pride   have   preserved,    and    the   poet 
Southey  has  transmitted,  Madoc  was  the  son  of 
the  Welsh   king,  Owen   Gwynnedd,  who   flour- 
ished about  the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century. 
At  this  time  a  civil  disturbance  occurred  in  Wales, 
and  Prince  Madoc  was  obliged  to  save  himself  by 
flight.     With  a  small  fleet,  he  left  the  country 
in  the  year  1170,  and,  after  sailing  westward  for 
several   weeks,  came   to   an   unknown    country, 
beautiful  and  wild,  inhabited  by  a  strange  race 
of  men,  unUke  the  people  of  Europe.     For  some 
time  the  prince  and  his  sailors  ttirried  in  the  new 
land,  delighted  with  its  exuberance  and  with  the 
salubrious  climate.     Then^  all  but  twenty  of  the 
daring  company  set  sail  and  returned  to  Wales. 
It  was  the  intention  of  Madoc  to  make  prepara- 
tions and  return  again.     Ten  ships  were  accord- 


•  less 
c  dis- 
ig  to 
with 
poet 
t)n  o£ 
floiir- 
itury. 
V^ales, 
Bl£by 
untry 
id  for 
untry, 
s  race 
some 
le  new 
th  the 
of  the 
Wales, 
repara- 
iccord- 


COLUMBVS  TUB  NAVIGATOR. 


37 


ingly  fitted  out,  and  the  leader  and  his  adven- 
turous crew  a  second  time  set  their  prows  to  the 
west.  The  vessels  dropped  out  of  sight  one  by 
one,  but  were  never  heard  of  more.  The  thing 
may  have  happened." 

If  any  corroborative  opinion  be  needed  as  to 
the  verity  of  the  Norse  voyages  to  America,  we 
have  that  of  Humboldt,  in  his  "  Cosmos,"  wherein 
he  says :  "  We  are  here  on  historical  ground. 
The  discovery  of  the  northern  part  of  America 
by  the  Norsemen  cannot  be  disputed.  The 
length  of  the  voyage,  the  direction  in  which  they 
sailed,  the  time  of  the  sun's  rising  and  setting, 
are  accurately  given.  While  the  Caliphate  of 
Bagdad  was  still  flourishing,  America  was  dis- 
covered about  the  year  1000  A.  D.  by  Leif,  the 
son  of  Eric  the  Red,  at  the  latitude  of  forty-one 
and  a  half  degrees  north." 

What  were  the  results  of  these  successive  voy- 
ages to  the  rest  of  the  world  ?  Absolutely  noth- 
ing.    Europe   was   not   yet  awakened  from  her 


I 


88  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

medieval  slumbers,  nor  had  that  wild  spirit  of 
adventure   which   dominated  the  centuries  from 
the   fifteenth   to   the   eighteenth    yet    appeared 
among  the  English,  the  Spanish,  and  the  Dutch. 
The   news   of  the  exploits  of  Leif  Ericson   was 
confined  to  a  few ;  it  is  not  certain  that  the  ex- 
istmg  rude  records    thereof   were   penned   until 
many  years  after. 
f       As  has  been  well  said,  the  importance  of  any 
historical  event  is  to  be  weighed  by  its  conse- 
quences.     The  Norsemen  sailed  back  and  forth 
across  the  "  roaring  forties,"  but  mankind  was 
neither  wiser,  richer,  nor  better  therefor. 

One  by  one  the  colonies  dissolved ;  there  was 
no  glory  in  fighting  a  few  naked  savages ;  and 
Vinland  was  once  more  left  untrodden  by  the 
white  man.  It  is  said  that  a  desultory  com- 
munication was  kept  up  with  America  during 
the  13th  and  14th  centuries,  but  of  this  there  is 
no  certainty.  True  it  is,  however,  that  the  Norse- 
men had  no  conception  that  they  had  discovered 


;  of 
rom 
ired 
tch. 
was 
i  ex- 
intil 

any 
)n8e- 
Eorth 

was 

I  was 
and 
f  the 
com- 
uiing 
are  is 
'^^orse- 
vered 


COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVIGATOR.  39 

a  new  continent ;  they  imagined  that  Vinland  was 
but  a  continuation  of  the  coast  of  Greenland 
trending  south  and  west. 

Leif  and  liis  sailors  went  to  Vallialla;  the 
name  of  Vinland  was  forgotten;  the  red  man 
once  more  held  undisturbed  sway  from  the 
Hudson  to  the  St.  Lawrence ;  and  the  Western 
World  lay  hidden  for  more  than  four  hundred 
years  from  the  ken  of  Europeans. 


H 


40 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOli. 


CHAPTER  n. 

A    NEW    EUROPE. 

«'  Westward  the  course  of  Empire  Ukes  its  way." 

In  penning  the  famous  line  which  heads  this 
chapter,  Bishop  Berkeley  voiced  the  sentiment  o£ 
the  ages,  from  classic  time  to  our  own.     West- 
ward the  hopes  and  aspirations  of  the  race  have 
ever  turned.     Ancient  mythology  always  placed 
its  Fortunate  Islands,  the  "  Dixie  "  of  those  days, 
in  the  track  of  the  setting  sun,  beyond  where  foot 
of  man  or  keel  of  ship  had  never  passed.     The 
Hesperides  of  the  Blest  were  located  on  an  island 
to  the  west  of  Mt.  Atlas  in  Africa,  somewhere  in 
that  unknown  sea  outside  the  Pillars  of  Hercules.* 

»  It  would  seom  that  the  Canaries  were  knov.-n  to  the  anclent« 
but  that  the  knowledge  became  lost  to  the  modems,  andthoy 


<wlrmli>ii«in  >  mmiimn- . 


uL 


mm 


s  this 
ent  o£ 
West- 
>  have 
placed 
B  days, 
(re  foot 
.     The 
I  island 
liere  in 
icules.* 

ancients, 
andthoy 


COL  UMB  Ua  THE  NA  VIGA  TOR.  41 

By  degrees,  the  Ultima  Thule  of  the  ancient 
world  was  shifted  by  successive  generations  from 
point  to  point,  but  always  westward,  until  it 
rested  on  wave-buffeted  Iceland,  where  it  re- 
mained for  many  hundreds  of  years. 

Despite  its  fear  of  the  unknown,  which  is 
always  terrible,  the  ancient  world  persisted  with 
almost  prophetic  insight  in  imagining  a  vast 
extent  of  land  somewhere  to  the  westward  of 
Spain — for  so  many  centuries  the  occidental 
boundary  of  the  ancient  world.  Nor  is  it  even 
now  measurably  certain  that  these  imaginings 
were  entirely  vain.  The  fabled  Atlantis  is  a  case 
in  point,  embodying  as  it  does  the  pith  of  the 
legends  of  a  pre-historic  Atlantean  continent. 

Nine  thousand  years  before  Plato  lived  and 
wrote,  there  existed,  he  tells  us  in  his  "Timseus,'* 
m  the  ocean  that  separates  the  Old  World  from 
the  New,  an  island  larger  than  Asia  Minor  and 

were  re-discovcretl  by  an  accident  early  in  tlie  15tli  century.    From 
them  Ptolemy  commenced  to  count  the  longitude. 


nr- 


42  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

Northern  Africa  combined,  densely  peopled  h\   a 
powerful  race.      He  locates  it  in  what  is  now  a 
watery   waste,    midway   between    the    westward 
projection  of  the  desert  coast  of  Africa  and  the 
corresponding  indentation  by  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
of  the  "  Paradise  of  America."     On  its  western 
shores  were  other  and  smaller  islands  by  way  of 
which  access  might  be  had  to  a  vast  continent 
beyond.     Its.  civilization  was  as  advanced  as  that 
of  ancient  Egypt.      Its  people  were  descended 
from  Neptune  and  mortal  women,  and  by  for-e  of 
aims  then:  warriors  penetrated  into  Africa  as  far 
eastward  as  Egypt,  and  into  Europe  as  far  as 
the  shores  of  the  Tyrrhenian  Sea  (the  western 
coast  of  Italy).     Then-  conquests  were  checked 
by  the  Greeks  after  the  Atlantean  sea-kings  had 
attempted  to  subjugate  Europe,  Africa,  and  Asia, 
and  the  deed  was  accounted  one  of  the  glories  of 
Athens.     At  length,  however,  the  people  became 
80  desperately  wicked  that  the  island  with  all  its 
inhabitants  was  swept  away  by  a  deluge.    In  a 


T 


i«Mili 


b\   a 
ow  a 
bward 
i  the 
[exico 
Bstem 
ray  of 
tinent 
s  that 
iended 
n^e  of 
as  far 
far  as 
western 
liecked 
rs  had 
i  Asia, 
)rie8  of 
became 
all  its 
.    In  a 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAYIGATOB. 


43 


day  and  a  night  Atlantis  disappeared  beneath  the 
waves.     Another  account,  slightly  varied,   says 
that  after  the  defeat  of  the  islanders,  a  terrific 
earthquake,  attended  by  inundations  of  the  sea, 
caused  the  island  to  sink,  and  for  a  long  time 
thereafter  the  ocean  was  impassable  by  reason  of 
the  muddy  shoals.     Such  is  the  substance  of  a 
legend,    first    communicated    to    Solon    by    an 
Egyptian  priest,  and  perhaps  founded  on  fact, 
that  has  existed  from  a  very  early  date.     On  old 
Venetian  maps  Atlantis  was  placed  to  the  west- 
ward of  the  Canaries  and  the  Azores.     To  the 
ancients,  the  unknown  was   always   gigantic   or 
fearful;    so  they  represented  Atlantis  as  being 
larger  than  either  Europe  or  Africa,  though  the 
great  extent  assigned  to  the  island  may  have  only 
signified   one   very   large   in   proportion   to  the 
smaller    isles   of  the    Mediterranean — the    only 
islands  with  which  the  ancients  were  familiar. 
Diodorus   Siculus   tells   us    that   '*  over   against 
Africa  lies  a  very  great  island  in  the  vast  ocean, 


44 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


many  days'  sail  from  Libya  westward.     The  soil 
there  is  very  fruitful,  a  great  part  whereof  is 
mountainous,    but    much    likewise     champaign, 
which  is  the  most  sweet  and  pleasant  part,  for 
it  is  watered  by  several  navigable  streams,  and 
beautiful  with  many  gardens  of  pleasure,  planted 
by   divers   sorts   of  trees  and  an  abundance  of 
orchards.     The  towns  are  adorned  ^vith  stately 
buildings     and     banqueting-houses,    pleasantly 
situated   in  their  gardens   and  orchards."     The 
inhabitants  of  Venezuela  and  of  Guiana  retained 
traditions  of  a  convulsion  "  which  swallowed  up 
a  vast  country  in  the  region  now  covered  by  the 
Atlantic  Ocean." 

The  Toltecs,  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Central 
America,  have  a  tradition  of  the  "  cataclysm  of 
the  Antilles;"  among  the  Indians  of  North 
America  there  is  a  similar  legend.  The  tribes 
located  farther  southward  have  a  circumstantial 
narrative  to  the  effect  that  the  waves  of  the 
ocean  were  seen  rolling  in  Uke  mountains  from 


*  ■■^~4i''zJflirf-'fT.'<i-f^r^''- 


he  soil 
reof  is 
ipaign, 
irt,  for 
ts,  and 
planted 
ince  of 
stately 
asantly 
'     The 
•etained 
sved  up 
by  the 

Central 
lysm  of 
■  North 
le  tribes 
astantial 
,  of  the 
ns  from 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  45 

the  east,  and  that  of  the  millions  of  people  who 
fled  toward  the  hills  for  refuge,  only  one  man 
(seven  in  other  accounts)  was  saved,  from  whom 
descended  the  present  Indian  races.     A  religions 
festival  was  instituted  to  commemorate  the  dread 
event,  and  to  beseech  the  Almighty  not  to  revisit 
the  earth  with  such  terrors.     In  this  catastrophe 
it  is  clauned  that  an  area  greater  in  extent  than 
France  was  engulfed,  embracing  the  peninsulas 
of  Yucatan,  Honduras,  Guatemala,  and  the  lesser 
Antilles,  together  with  the  magnificent  cities  of 
Palenque  and  Uxmal,  with  most  of  their  inhabi- 
tants ;  and  it   is   supposed  that  "  the  continent 
has   since   risen  sufficiently  to  restore   many  of 
these  ancient  sites."    The  Greeks,  the  Egyptians, 
the  Gauls,  and  the  Romans,  possessed  traditions 
on  this  subject,  and  all  the  accounts  substantially 
agree   with  each  other.     These  tradit^  »ns   were 
coUected    by  Timagenes,  the   Roman   historian, 
who  flourished  in  the  century  preceding  the  birth 
of  Christ.     He  represents  Gaul  as  having  been 


..1I«.|IMI.IHHH»IW "^ — 


: 


4G  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

invaded  from  a  distant  island  to  the  westvard, 
by  which  many  understand  Atlantis  to  be  meant. 
Another   writer,    Mareelhis,   mentions    that    the 
inhabitants  of  seven  islands  lying  in  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  near  the  coast  of  Europe  (probably  the 
Canaries),   kept   alive   the   memory   of   a  much 
greater  island,  named  Atlantis,  Avhich  terrorized 
over  the  smaller  ones.     At  the  date  of  the  exist- 
ance  of  Atlantis,  according  to  Humboldt,  what 
is   now   the   Strait   of    Gibraltar  was    probably 
bridged  by  a  solid  isthmus  at  least  as  wide  as 
that  of  Suez,  thus  closing  the  Mediterranean  and 
making  of  it   an  inland  sea.     The  same  convul- 
sion of  nature  which   engulfed  the   island   also 
established     communication     between    the     At- 
lantic  and    the   Mediterranean.     Charles    Fred- 
erick  Martins,  the    French   botanist,  says    that 
"hydrography,    geology,    and   botany   agree   in 
teaching  us  that  the  Azores,  the  Canaries,  and 
Madeira  are  the   remains  of   a   great  continent 
which  formerly  united  Europe  to  North  America." 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  47 

The  ancient  wiiters  found  this  a  most  captivating 
subject  upon  which  to  expand  their  conjectures, 
as  is  proved  by  the  many  comments  upon  Plato's 
narratives  which  have  descended  to  us  moderns. 
Nor  have  there  been  wa  iting  scientists  in  our 
own  day  to  view  with  favorable  eyes  the  possibility 
of  the  existence,  at  a  time  now  remote,  of  a  mid- 
Atlantic  island.  Humboldt,  Unger,  and  Goep- 
pert,  the  Abbe  Brasseur,  Winchell,  Foster,  Wild, 
Heer,  and  others  equally  eminent,  found  nothing 
startling  or  improbable  in  the  idea. 

Recent  ocean  exploration  has  given  to  the 
world  soro.3  interesting  facts  which  substantiate 
the  Atlantis  theory  in  a  remarkable  degree.  Sir 
Wyville  Thompson,  in  the  Challenger,  in  1873, 
the  expedition  in  the  German  frigate  Gazelle,  in 
1874,  and  Commander  Gorringe,  in  the  United 
States  sloop  Gettysburg,  in  1877,  all  made  sound- 
ings off  the  coast  of  Africa  in  mid-Atlantic. 
The  last  named  discovered  a  great  bed  of  living 
pink  coral,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  westward 


4g  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGAIOR. 

from  Gibraltar,  only  thirty-two  fathoms  beneath 
the     surface.     When     tabulated,  these    various 
soundings  indicate  the  existence  of  a  great  bank 
in  comparatively  shoal  water,  the  highest  points 
of   which   are   the   Canaries   and   the  Madeiras. 
There   is  little  doubt,    among   the  advocates  of 
the  Atlantean  theory,  that  this  bank  is  the  east- 
ern end  of  the  ancient  island.     It  forms,  so  to 
speak,  a  mid-Atlantic  mountaui,  the   depth   all 
around  sinking  rapidly  to  fifteen  thousand  fath- 
oms.    The  early  inhabitants  of  the  Cana.     .  the 
Guanches,  when  they  were  "  re-discove    .-  '   ire 
said  to  have  complained  that  "  God  placed  them 
there  and  then  forsook  and  forgot  them." 

Again,  the  sea-weed  of  the  Sargasso  Sea  has  no 
roots,  and  multiplies  itself,  not  by  fructification, 
but  by  division.  At  first  sight  this  fact  would 
seem  to  miUtato  against  the  theory  that  a  con- 
siderable body  of  land  formerly  existed  in  this 
vicinity.  Humboldt  was  of  opinion  that  the  weed 
originated  where  it  is  found,  but  Robert  Brown, 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  49 

a  specialist  iu  this  department  of  science,  and  on 
such  a  question  perhaps  a  weightier  authority 
than  the  great  German  naturaUst,  thought  that 
the  plant  originated  in  large  quantities  on  some 
neighboring  coast,  and  was  afterward  perma- 
nent! modified  to  suit  the  changed  conditions  it 
has  occupied  for  ages. 

One  of  the  first  things  which  will  impress  a  per- 
son who  examines  a  map  of  the  world,  with  the 
foregoing  statements  in  mind,  is  the  confomation 
of  the  continents  of  Africa  and  America  at  the 
points  before  alluded  to.     It  requires  only  a  very 
slight  effort  to  imagine  that  a  great  body  of  land 
might  once  have  connected  the  Canaries  and  the 
Cape  Verde  Islands  with  the  mainland  of  Africa 
on  the  east  and  with  the  islands  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  on  the  west.     In  fact,  the  outline  of  the 
land  between  Cape  Blanco  and  the  outlying  islands 
of  the  West  Indies  ahnost  suggests  the  theory 
propounded  by  some,  that  a  huge  slice  of  terra 
jinna  was  washed  out  by  the  sudden  rush  of  a 


MiMMittliwiMi 


50  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

vast  body  of  water  from  the  north  some  time  in 

the  prehistoric  ages. 

The  Gulf  of  Mexico  is  very  shallow  as  com- 
pared with  the  depth  of  the  neighboring  ocean, 
and  its  bottom  is  very  nearly  level ;  which  ^    3 
facts  indicate  a  general  sinking  of  the  land  here, 
also,  perhaps  by  an  inundation  of  waters  from  the 
valley  of  the  Mississippi.     The  mountain  summits 
of  this  long-forgotten  land  may  still  be  viewed  in 
the  various  groups  of   islands  off   the  Atlantic 
coast    of   Europe,   Africa,   and    America.     The 
large  continent  lying  beyond  Atlantis,  to  which 
Plato  refers,  could  have  been  none  other  than 
America.    Indeed,  the  legend  of  Atlantis  itself 
mav  be  but  a  confused  tradition  of  the  existence 
of  a  great  western  continent. 

There  are  other  most  interesting  facts  bearing 
upon  this  subject.  Remains  of  a  civilization  at 
once  extensive  and  of  great  antiquity  exist  in 
Central  America.  These  relics  long  ante-date  the 
Aztec  rule,  and  cannot  be  associated  with  the 


e  time  in 

V  as  com- 
ng  ocean, 
ivhich  *"  3 
land  here, 
8  from  the 
in  summits 
!  viewed  in 
e  Atlantic 
rica.     The 
,  to  which 
other  than 
antis  itseU 
e  existence 

icts  bearing 
rilization  at 
ity  exist  in 
nte-date  the 
id  with  the 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  51 

Phoenicians,  whose  voyages  to  America  must  be 
relegated  to  the  region  of  fable.     At  most,  these 
pioneers  of  antiquity  sailed  no  further  westward 
than  Atlantis,   and  even   that   is   doubtful.     A 
French  savant,  M.  Paul  GafEarel,  has  collected  the 
information  bearing  upon  this  subject,  and  this  is 
his  conclusion :  "  Without  affirming  anything  as 
yet,  we  may  admit  that  the  Phoenicians  discovered 
a  vast  island  beyond  the  PiUars  of  Hercules,  many 
days'  sail  from  the  continent;  that  they  made 
numerous  voyages,  and  that  they  jealously  pre- 
served exclusive  possession  with  a  view  to  remov- 
ing thence  in  case  of  necessity  themselves,  as  the 
Dutch  at  one  time  contemplated  removing  to 
Batavia  when   the  armies  of  Louis  XIV.  were 
menacing  Amsterdam.' 

The  style  of  architecture  of  the  Central  Amer- 
ican remains  reminds  us  of  ancient  Egyptian  and 
Asiatic  forms ;  reUgious  symbols  exist  which  un- 
doubtedly  carry  us  back  to  the  phaUic  rites  of 
antiquity ;  the  lotus  flower,  the  sacred  emblem  of 


52  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

India,  may  be  seen  upon  its  chiseled  monunients; 

and  the  pyramid  is  native  to  Mexico  and  Egypt 

alike. 

How  were  these  resemblances  in  architecture 
and  reUgion  transplanted  from  the  Orient  to  the 
Occident  ?  The  origin  of  the  civiUzation  of  the 
Aztecs  and  Peruvians  has  for  many  years  been 
the  subject  of  curious  speculation. 

There  is  a  theory,  having  the  sanction  of  such 
names  as  those  of  Humboldt,  Boudinot,  Squier, 
and  Daniel  Wilson,  that  America  was  peopled 
from  Asia  vi&  the  Pacific;  that  a  continent  for- 
merly existed  between  Asia  and  America  in  the 
region  now  known  as  Polynesia,  the  islands  of 
the  present  day  having  formerly  done  service  as 
mountain  ranges  and  table-lands.     There  is  said 
to  be  a  close  afBnity  between  the  ancient  pottery 
found  in  Peru  on  the  west  coast  of  South  America, 
and  Egyptian  and  Grecian  ceramics;  and  Dr. 
Stephen  Bowers  states  that  in  Southern  California 
he  has  found  stone  implements  ahnost  identical 


aiiients ; 
i  Egypt 

litecture 
it  to  the 
n  of  the 
Eirs  been 

1  of  such 
t,  Squier, 

peopled 
nent  for- 
3a  in  the 
slands  of 
service  as 
sre  is  said 
it  pottery 
L  America, 

and  Dr. 
California 
b  identical 


COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVIGATOR.  53 

with  those  found  at  Mycenie  by  Dr.  Schliemann. 
What  is  the  explanation  of  this  strange  similarity? 
If  Humboldt's  speculation  be  correct,  and  an 
island   of  continental  proportions  once  filled  a 
large  pai-t  of  the  space  now  covered  by  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  an  easy  route  would  have  been  thereby 
provided  for  the  sturdy  explorers  of  the  ancient 
world— who,  of  course,  would  bring  their  pottery 
with  them— and  thus  our  question  would  find  a 
ready  answer. 

But  if,  as  Winchell  believes,  the   ocean   has 
always   surged  between  Asia  and  America,  and 
our   continent   was    first    peopled   by   Mongols 
chiefly  by  way  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  and  Beh- 
ring's   Strait,   our  archaeological   riddle   is   still 
unsolved,  and  we  are  forced  to  look  elsewhere  for 
a  highway  from  the  Old  World  to  the  New.  The 
aborigmal   inhabitants   of  the   Canaries   and   of 
the  Atlantic  coast  of  Africa,  the  Guanches,  now 
extinct,  are  regarded  by  Retzius  as  beuig  nearly 
related  to  the  native  peoples  on  the  shores  of  the 


I 


54  COLUMBUS  TUB  NAVIGATOR. 

Caribbean  Sea  on  the  opposite  coast.     He  says: 
"The  colo.-   of  the  skin   on  both  sides  of  the 
Atlantic  is  represented  in  all  these  populations  as 
being  of  a  reddish  brown  ;  the  hair  is  the  same ; 
the  features  of  the  face  and  build  of  the  frame,  as 
I  am  led  to  believe,  presenting  the  same  analogy." 
The  same   miter   maintains   that   the   races  on 
the  western  shores  of  America  closely  resemble 
the  Mongols  of  Asia,  which  opinion  was  shared 

by  Humboldt. 

Admitting  that  Atlantis  existed  in  the  ocean 
which  bears  its  name,  it  needs  but  a  step  further 
to  imagine  that  the  Azores,  the  Madeiras,  the  Cana- 
ries,  and  the  Cape  Verde  Islands  were   at  one 
time  either  parts  of  it,  or  else  were  only  separated 
from  it  and  from  each  other  by  narrow  channels. 
The  same  may  be  assumed  of  the  Bermudas  and 
the  outlying  West  India  Islands. 

Bearing  in  mind,  also,  that  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
at  the  point  indicated  grows  rapidly  narrower, 
and  that  the  slice  of  land  engulfed  would  not  be 


e  says*. 
of  the 
tions  as 
e  same ; 
rame,  as 
lalogy." 
aces  on 
resemble 
»  shared 

le  ocean 
p  further 
bhe  Cana- 
e  at  one 
separated 
channels, 
udas  and 

itic  Ocean 
narrower, 
dd  not  be 


COLUMBUS  THE  yAVIGATOR.  66 

so  large  as  at  other  points,  the  supposition  is  not 
so  starthng  that  at  some  period  the  two  continents 
were,  if  not  entirely  connected,  at  least  separated 
only   by  very  narrow  passages  of  water,  which 
would  offer  no  obstacle  to  the  migration  of  peoples, 
and  the  dispersion  of  customs,  and  would  account 
for  much  that  has  puzzled  the  ethnologist  on  this 
continent.     Remains  of  extinct  animals   on   the 
American  mainland  have  led  such  investigators 
as   Marsh,   Cope,   and   Leidy   to   infer   that   an 
ancient  connection  existed  between  Europe  and 

America. 

Although  modern  learning  has,  in  some  quar- 
ters, ridiculed  the  notion  of  the  former  existence 
of  a  large  island  where  now  the  Atlantic  surges 
roU,  yet,  as  we  have  seen,  science  Itself  may  be 
made  to  give  plausible  testimony  to  the  truth  of 
the  legend.  Underneath  the  chalk  and  green  sand 
formation  of  England  ^here  is  a  strata  called  the 
wealden,  which  has  been  ascertained  to  extend 
about  two  hundred  miles  in  either  direction,  and 


iMiii<M«aNtil^ 


(yQ  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOB. 

^hich  is  some   two  thousand  feet  in  tlii..kne88. 
For  reasons  which  it  is  needless  to  recount  here, 
this  demonstrates  that  there  was,  for  a  very  long 
period,  a  constant  supply  of  fresh  water,  such  as 
>vould  result  from  the  drainage  of  a  large  extent 
of  mountainous  or  hilly  knd.     "  If  geology  can 
furnish  us  with  such  facts  as  these,"  says  Prof. 
Anthon,  «  it  may  surely  he  pardonable  in  us  to 
hngei  with  something  of  fond  belief  around  the 
legend  of  Atlantis-a  legend  that  could  hardly  be 
,    the  offspring  of  a  poetic  imagination,  but  must 
have  had  some  foundation  in  truth." 

'Twere  hard  to  leave  this  fascinating  subject 
without  a  glance  at  the  flora  which  such  a  land  as 
Atlantis  must  have  possessed,  supposing  its  exist- 
ence to  have  been  a  reahty.      Looking  at  the 
Canaries,   which  we  have    supposed   to  be  the 
remains  of  its  eastern  end,  the  observer  is  hnpressed 
with  the  richness  of  their  almost  tropical  verdure. 
In  thcie  "Happy  Isles"  the  generous  grape  is 
indigenous  j  the  more  homely  cereals  abundantly 


•   .  t 


lickness. 
nt  bere, 
iry  long 
,  such  as 
;e  extent 
logy  can 
ays  Prof, 
in  us  to 
ound  the 
hardly  he 
but  must 

g  subject 
i  a  land  as 
f  its  exist- 
ng  at  the 
to  be  the 


lunj 
al  verdure. 
is  grape  is 
abundantly 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  5f 

flourish ;  and  fruits  of  all  kinds  burden  the  air 
with  their  mellow  fragrance. 

In  the  Bermudas,  the  opposite  extremity  of  this 
supposititious  continent,  nature  awaits   us   with 
still  greater  prodigality.     Man's  natural  wants  are 
bountifully  suppUed  without  the  laborious  ma- 
chinery 80  needful  in  our  northern  climate,  which 
dooms  the  majority  of  our  population  to  a  cease- 
less drudgery  for  their  dully  bread.     Fruits  fit  for 
the  palate  of  Epicurus  hang  in  clusters,  and  man 
has  but  to  raise  his  hand  to  pluck  them. 

What  possibihties  were  there  not  contained  in 
a  land  which  swept  from  the  Canaries  and  the 
West  Indies  to  the  Bahamas  and  Ne^vf  oundland  ? 
It  must  have  been  indeed  a  «  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey  ; "  a  region  in  which  every  variety 
of  climate  was  enjoyed,  from  the  breezy  vigor  of 
its  wind-swept  mountain  ranges  to  the  dreamy, 
sensuous  luxuriance  of  its  tropical  vaUeys. 

But  did  it  reaUy  exist  ?    We  cannot  say  ;  but 
whether  or  no,  only  its  phantom  is  left,  and  to  us 


^58  CoTATMBirs  THE  NAVIGATOn. 

it  is  indeed  a  lost  Atlantis,  and  an  indication  of 
the  >vorld's  faith  in  the  existence  of  a  continental 
mass  of  land  to  the  westward  of  Europe. 

We  refer  to  the  Atlantean  myth-if  such  it  be 
-at  some  length  because  of  its  inthnate  associa- 
tion with  the  dreams  of  many  of  the  explorers  of 
Columbus's  day.     It  should  be  borne  in  mmd, 
however,  that  the  Genoese  set  out,  not  to  discover 
a  new  world,  but  to  reach  an  old-world  country 
by  a  fresh  route.     He  essayed  to  sail  to  the  land 
of  Kublai  Kluvu  and  of  Prester  John  by  water  and 
to  the  westward ;  whereas  a  land  route,  to  the 
east,  had  been  hitherto  the  only  means  of  approach 
to  the  Cathay  of  Marco  Polo. 

In  order  the  better  to  appreciate  the  full  signi- 
ficance of  such  an  event  as  the  discovery  of  anew 
continent,  it  may  profit  us  to  glance  at  the  condi- 
tion of  Europe  in  the  fifteenth  century.  And  first 
let  us  see  how  large  was  the  known  world  Anno 
Domini  1400. 

Take  an  ordinary  flat  projection  of  a  map  of 


atlon  of 
ntineutal 

iicli  it  be 

8  associa- 

plorers  of 

in  mind, 

0  discover 
d  country 

1  the  land 
'  water  and 
ite,  to  the 
f  approach 

full  signi- 

ry  of  a  new 

b  the  condi- 

And  first 

world  Anno 

,f  a  map  of 


COL UMB US  TUE  NA  VIGATOR.  59 

the  world ;  blot  out  the  whole  of  the  Western 
continent ;  blot  out  all  the  bleak  lands  to   the 
north  of  the  North  Cape  in  Norway  ;  blot  out  all 
of  Africa  save  a  crescent-shaped  strip  of  coast-line 
from  Alexandria  to  Cape  Nun,  together  with  the 
Cape  Veru .  Islands  ;  blot  out  the  whole  of  Aus- 
traUa  and  the  Pacific  archipelago ;  blot  out  Japan 
and  the  extr.  me  nort^ ^-eastern  nart  of  Asia.    When 
we  look  at   what  is  left  .     are  surprised  and 
amused  at  the    conceit    oi    the   Romans,    who 
claimed  that  thea-  empire  filled  ail   the   world. 
«  When  that  empire  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  .in-le 
person,"  says  Gibbon,  "  the  world  became  a  safe 
and  dreary  prison  for  his  enemies ;  the  slave  of 
imperial  despotism,  whether  he  was  condemned  to 
drag  the  gilded  chain  in  Rome,  or  to  wear  out 
a  life  of  exile  on  the  barren  rocks  of  Seriphus  or 
the  frozen  banks  of  the  Danube,  expected  his  fate 
in  .r.  -:-  despair;  to  resist  was  fatal,  and  it  was 
impossible  to  fly;  on  every  side  he  was  encom- 
passed with  a  vast  extent  of  sea  and  land,  which 


QQ  COL  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOR. 

he  could  never  hope  to  traverse  Avithout  being 
discovered,  seized,  and  restored  to  his  irritated 
master."  At  the  commencement  of  the  Renais- 
sance in  Europe  the  territorial  conditions  were  not 
greatly  enlarged  beyond  those  existing  in  the  days 

of  JuUus  Caesar. 

But  more  than  this,  the  terrors  of  men  had 
clothed  the  unknown  beyond    with    named  and 
nameless    horrors.      Certain    death    in     various 
repulsive  and  terrible  forms  awaited  those  who, 
afoot  or  afloat,  pushed  out  into  the  unknown. 
The  maxim  of  the  map-makers  of  the  time  was, 
«  Where  you  know  nothing  place  terrors,"  and 
Jonathan  Swift's  well-known  hues  expressed  "  a 
condition,  not  a  theory  "  : 

"  So  geographers  in  Afrlc  maps 
With  savage  pictures  fill  their  gaps, 
And  o'er  unhabitable  downs 
Place  elephants  for  want  of  towns." 


Any   old  map  wUl  illustrate  this.      One  before 


It  being 
irritated 
!  Renais- 
were  not 
I  the  days 

men  had 
mied  and 
I  various 
[lose  who, 
unknown, 
time  was, 


i-ors,"  and 


iressed  "  a 


One  before 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  61 

US  as  we  write  depicts  the  southern  part  of  Africa 
being  ravened  by  an  impossible  beast  like  to  that 
portrayed  in  Stockton's  quaint  story   of   "  The 
Griffin  and  the  Minor  Canon  ;"  the  whole  of  the 
north-eastern  coast   of  Asia  is  occupied  with  a 
creature  half-bear,  half-boar,  with  an  appendage 
Uke  the  trunk  of  an  elephant  for  a  tail;  while  a 
gigantic  serpent  reclines  at  ease  where  now  the 
waters  of  the  Pacific  wash  the  shores  of  Chinaand 
Japan.     This  alarming  practice  on  the  part  of 
these  ignorant  but  well-meaning  gentry  is  referred 
to  by  Plutarch,  where  he  says  that  "  geographers 
crowd  into  the  edges  of  their  maps  parts  of  the 
world  which  they  do  not  know   about,  addmg 
notes  in  the  margin  to  the  effect  that  beyond  this 
lies  nothing  but  sandy  deserts  full  of  wild  beasts 
and  unapproachable  bogs."     Even  inour  own  day 
a  vast  area  of   the  United  States,  long  labeled 
"The  Great  American  Uesert"  has  been  proved 
to  be  in  large  part  a  veritable  garden  of  loveUness. 
Nor  were  the  travellers  themselves  one  whit  behind 


62  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

the  geographers  in  ascribing  hideous  dangers  to 
the  regions  beyond  which  they  had  ventured. 
For  a  long  time  Cape  Bojador  was  the  extreme 
southern  limit  of  discovery.  This  cape  was  for- 
midable in  itself,  being  terminated  by  a  ridge  of 
rocks,  with  fierce  currents  surging  round  them, 
but  was  much  more  formidable  from  the  fancies 
which  the  mariners  had  formed  of  the  sea  and 
land  beyond  it.  "  It  is  clear,"  they  were  wont 
to  say,  "  that  beyond  this  cape  there  are  no  people 
whatever ;  the  land  is  bare — no  water,  no  trees, 
no  grass  upon  it ;  the  sea  so  shallow  that  at  a 
league  from  the  land  it  is  only  a  fathom  deep  ; 
the  currents  so  fierce  that  the  ship  which  passes 
that  cape  will  never  return." 

It  is  scarcely  possible  for  us  to  put  ourselves  in 
the  place  of  the  men  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
"  Geographical  knowledge,"  says  Sir  Arthur 
Helps,  the  writer  just  quoted,  "was  but  just 
awakening  after  ages  of  slumber ;  and  through- 
out those  ages  the  wildest  dreams  had  mingled 


mgers  to 

ventured. 

I  extreme 

was  for- 

ridge  of 

nd  them, 

le  fancies 

e  sea  and 

ere  wont 

no  people 

no  trees, 

that  at  a 

om  deep ; 

Ich  passes 

irselves  in 

1  century. 

r  Arthur 
but  just 
through- 

i  mingled 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  68 

fiction  with  fact.     Legends  telling  of  monsters  of 
the  deep,  jealous  of  invasion  of  their  territory ;  of 
rocks  of  lodestone,  powerful  enough  to  extract 
every  particle  of  iron  from  a  passing  ship;  of 
stagnant  seas  and  fiery  skies  ;  of  wandering  saints 
and  flying  islands;  all  combined   to  invest  the 
unknown  with  the  terrors  of  the  supernatural  and 
to  deter  the  explorer  of  the  great  ocean.     The 
half-decked  vessels  that  crept  along  the  Mediter- 
ranean shores  were  but  ill-fitted  to  bear  the  brunt 
of  the  furious  waves  of  the  Atlantic.     The  now 
indispensable  sextant  was  but  clumsily  anticipated 
by  the  newly  invented  astrolabe.     The  use  of  the 
compass  had  scarcely  become  familiar  to  naviga- 
tors, who  indeed  but  imperfectly  understood  its 
properties.     And  who  could  tell,  it  was  objected, 
that  a  ship  which  might  succeed  in  sailing  down 
the  waste  of  waters  woidd  ever  be  able  to  return, 
for  would  not  the  voyage  home  be  a  perpetual 
journey  up  a  mountain  of  sea  ? 

The  truth  of  the  proposition  that  the  earth 


G4  COL  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOU. 

was  a  sphere  as  yet  found  but  few  acceptors. 
Many  of  these  shared  the  above  belief  as  to  the 
fate  awaiting  the  ship  which  should  tempt  fate 
by  sailing  too  far  down  the  incUne  ;  those  who 
clung  to  the  more  orthodox  idea  that  the  earth 
was  a  flat  plane  enjoyed  an  equally  comforting 
opinion  that  he  who  ventured  to  the  edge  thereof 
would  fall  off  into  space. 

Columbus,  of  course,  in  common  with  the  other 
master  minds  of  his  time,  believed  in  the  spheri- 
city of  the  earth,  but  he  and  they  were  not  the 
first  to  entertain  that  belief.  Writing  in  1356,  a 
hundred  and  thirty-six  years  before  the  re-discovery 
of  America,  staunch  old  Sir  John  Mandeville,  the 
great  traveller,  put  forth  the  following  logical 
argument  in  favor  of  a  round  world  : 

«  In  that  land  and  in  others  beyond  no  man 
may  see  the  fixed  star  of  the  North  which  we  call 
Lode  Star.  But  there  men  see  another  star  called 
the  Antarctic,  opposite  to  the  star  of  the  North. 
And  just  as  mariners  in  this  hemisphere  take  their 


coeptors. 
as  to  the 
mpt  fate 
lose  who 
;he  earth 
)mforting 
je  thereof 

I  the  other 
he  spheri- 
re  not  the 
in  1356,  a 
>-(liscovery 
leville,  the 
ig  logical 

d  no  man 
ich  we  call 
star  called 
the  North, 
e  take  their 


COLUMBUS  THE  XAVIGArOR.  65 

reckoning  and  govern  their  course  by  the  North 
Star,  so  do  the  mariners  of  the  South  by  the 
Antarctic.     But  the  star  of  the  Ninth  appears  not 
to  the  people  of  the  South.     Wherefore  men  may 
easily  perceive  that  the  land  and  the  sea  are  of 
round  shape  and  figure.     For  that  part  of  the 
firmament  which  is  seen  in  one  country  is  not 
seen  in  another.     And  men  may  prove  both  by 
expeiience  and  sound  reasoning  that  if  a  man, 
having  passage  by  ship,  should  go  to  search  the 
world,  he  might  with  his  vessel  sail  around  the 
world,  both  above  and  under  it.     This  proposi- 
tion I  prove  as  follows :  I  have  myself  in  Prussia 
seen  the  North  Star  by  the  astrolabe  fifty-three 
degrees  above  the  horizon.     Further  on  in  Bo- 
hemia it  rises  to  the  height  of  fifty-eight  degrees. 
And  stiU  farther  northward  it  is  sixty-two   de- 
grees and  some  minutes  high.     I  myself  have  so 
measured  it.     Now  the  South  Pole  Star,  is,  as  I 
have  said,  opposite  the  North  Pole  Star.     And 
about  these    poles  the    whole   celestial    sphere 


!lSS'i'''R^'*9'9'iM8'!i!i.^M'9 


ee  COLVMUVS  fUE  NAVlOATOn. 

revolves  Uke  a  wheel  about  the  axle ;  and  the 
firmament  is  thus  clivUlecl  into  two  equal  parts. 
From  the  North  I  have  turned  southward,  passed 
the  equator,  and  found  that  in  Lyhia  the  Ant- 
arctic Star  first  appears  above  the  horizon.     Far- 
ther on  in  those  lands  that  star  rises  higher,  until 
in  southern  Lybia  it  reaches  the  height  of  eigh- 
teen degrees  and  certain  minutes,  sixty  minutes 
making  a  degree.     After  going  by  sea  and  by 
land  towards  that  country  (Australia  perhaps)  of 
which  I  have  spoken,  I  have  found  the  Antarctic 
Star  more  than  thirty-three  degrees  above  the 
horizon.     And  {f  I  had  had  company  and  shq^ 
ping  to  go  still  farther,  I  knoto  of  a  certainty 
that  I  should  have  seen  the  iMe  circumference 
of  the  heavens.     And  T  repeat  that  men  may  en- 
viron the  whole  world,  as  well  under  as  above, 
and  return  to  their  own  country,  if  they  had 
company,  and  ships,  and  conduct.     And  always, 
as  well  as  in  their  own  land,  shall  they  find  m- 
habited  continents  and  islands.     For  know  you 


11 


1  and  the 
ual  parts, 
rd,  passed 

the  Ant- 
ion.     Far-  ' 
rher,  until 
it  of  eigh- 
ty minutes 
ea  and  by 
perhaps)  of 
B  Antarctic 

above  the 
/  and  8hi2>- 
a  certainty 
•ciimference 
len  may  en- 
r  as  above, 
f  they  had 
^nd  always, 
bhey  find  in- 
r  know  you 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  67 

well,  that  they  who  dwell  in  the  southern  hemi- 
sphere are  feet  against  feet  of  them  who  dwell  m 
the  northern  hemisphere,  just  as  we  and  they 
that  dwell  under  ns  are  feet  to  feet.     For  every 
part  of  the  sea  and  the  land  hath  its  antipode. 
Moreover,  when   men  go   on  a   journey  toward 
India  and  the  foreign  islands,  they  do,  on  the 
whole   route,   circle   the    circumference   of    the 
earth,  even  to  those  countries  which  are  under  us. 
And  therefore  hath   that  same   thing,  which  I 
heard  recited  when  I  was  young,  happened  many 
times.     Howbeit,  upon  a  time,  a  worthy  man  de- 
parted from  our  country  to  explore  the  world. 
And  so  he  passed  India  and  the  islands  beyond 
India-more  than  five  thousand  in  number-and 
so  long  he  went  by  sea  and  land,  environing  the 
world  for  many  seasons,  that  he  found  an  island 
where  he  heard  them  speaking  his  own  language, 
hallooing  at  the  oxen  in  the  plow  with  the  iden- 
tical  words  spoken  to  beasts  in  his  own  country. 
Forsooth,  he  was  astonished ;  for  he  knew  not 


MMM 


^K'W.^'i  i.'WiawmtHJWw.-H' 


68 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


how  the  thing  might  happen.     But  I  assure  you 
that  he  had  gone  so  far  by  land  and  sea  that  he 
had  actually  gone  round  the  world  and  was  come 
again  through  the  long  circuit  to  his  own  dis-    ' 
trict.     It  only  remained  for  him  to  go  forth  and 
find  his  particular  neighborhood.     Unfortunately 
he  turned  from  the  coast  which  he  had  reached, 
and  thereby  lost  all  his  painful  labor,  as  he  him- 
self afterwards  acknowledged  when  he  returned 
home.     For  it  happened  by  and  by  that  he  went 
into  Norway,  being  driven  thither  by  a  storm; 
and  there  he  recognized  an  island  as  being  the 
same  in  which  he  had  heard  men  calling  the  oxen 
in  his  own  tongue ;  and  that  was  a  possible  thing. 
And  yet  it  seemeth  to  simple,  unlearned  rustics 
that  men  may  not  go  around  the  world,  and  if 
they  did  theij  would  fall  of!     But  that  absurd 
thing  never   could  happen   unless  we  ourselves 
from  where  we  are  should  fall  toward  heaven ! 
For  upon  what  part   soever  of   the  earth  men 
dweU,  whether  above  or  under,  it  always  seemeth 


1 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


69 


sure  you 
I  that  he 
svas  come 
own  dis- 
Porth  and 
trtunately 
L  reached, 
s  he  him- 

leturned 
t  he  went 

a  storm; 
being  the 
r  the  oxen 
ible  thing, 
led  rustics 
rid,  and  if 
lat  absurd 
!  ourselves 
d  heaven ! 
earth  men 
lys  seemeth 


to   them   that  they  walk  more   perpendicularly 
than  other  folks !     And  just  as  it  seemeth  to  us 
that  our  antipodes  are  under  us  head  downwards, 
just  so  it  seemeth  to  them  that  we  are  under 
them  head   downwards.     If   a  man   might  fall 
from  the  earth  towards  heaven,  by  much  more 
reason  the  earth  itself,  being  so  heavy,  should  fall 
to  heaven-an  impossible  thing.     Perhaps  of  a 
thousand  men  who  should  go  round  the  world, 
not  one  might  succeed  in  returning  to  his  own 
particular  neighborhood.     For  the  earth  is  indeed 
a  body  of  great  size,  its  circumference  being- 
according  to  the  old  wise  astronomers— twenty 
thousand  four   hundred   and   twenty-five  miles. 
And  I  do  not  reject  their  estimates ;  but  accord- 
ing to  my  judgment,  saving  their  reverence,  the 
circumference   of  the   earth  h  somewhat  more 
than  that.     And  in  order  to  have  a  clearer  under- 
standing of  the  matter,  I  use  the  following  de- 
monstration.    Let    there   be    imagined   a   great 
sphere,  and  about  the  point  called  the  center  au- 


-  -■^tJI1jl»!EffW3!l'4^-'-'^'Wi-l'J'J!i1^ 


^^ffi'^r'fmm'^fmifmP'^- 


«iwwiw«*I)«'JW  ■■' 


7a 


COLL- Mil  us  TilK  SAVIOATOn. 


Other  smaller  sphere.     Then  from  different  parts 
of  the  great  sphere  let  lines  he  drawn  meeting  at 
the  center.     It  is  clear  that  hy  this  means  the  two 
spheres  will  he  divided  into  an  equal  numher  of 
parts  having  the  same  relation  to  each  other;  but 
between  the  divisions  on  the  smaller  sphere  the 
absolute  space  will  be  less.     Now  the  great  sphere 
represents  the  heavens  and  the  smaller  sphere  the 
earth.     But   che  firmament  is  divided  by  astron- 
omers   into    twelve  Signs,  and    each  Sign  into 
thirty  degrees,  making  three  hundred  and  sixty 
degrees  in  all.     On  the  surface  of  the  earth  there 
^ill  be,  of  course,  divisions  exactly  corresponding 
to  those  of  the  celestial  sphere,  every  hue,  degree, 
and  zone  of  the  latter  answering  to  a  hue,  degree, 
or  zone  of  the  former.     And  now  know  well  that 
according  to  the  authors  of  astronomy  seven 
hundred  furlongs,  or  eighty-seven  miles  and  four 
furlongs,  answer  to  a  degree  of  the  firmament. 
Multiplying  eighty-seven  and  a  half  miles  by  three 
hundred  and  sixty-the  number  of  degrees  m  the 


parts 
ting  at 
he  two 
iber  of 
er ;  but 
ere  the 
;  sphere 
lere  the 

astron- 
fjn  into 
id  sixty 
th  there 
ponding 
,  degree, 
,  degree, 
well  that 
\y  seven 
and  four 
imament. 
i  by  three 
ees  in  the 


COL VMtt us  THE  NA  VWA  TOR.  71 

firmament-we    have    thirty-one  thousand    five 
hundred  English  miles.     And  this  according  to 
my  belief  and  demonstration  is  the  true  measure- 
ment  of  the  circumference  of  the  earth."     If  the 
astronomers   and   geographers   of   the   day   had 
given  Sir  John   the  correct   measurement   of  a 
degree  of  latitude  he  would  not  have  mis-stated 
the  circumference  of  our  globe  by  as  mu.h  as  ten 

miles ! 

But  Europe  was  now  at  the  dawning  of  a  new 
day.  With  a  mighty  hand,  as  when  the  skies 
clear  after  storm,  the  clouds  of  ignorance  and 
superstition  were  about  to  be  swept  away. 

For  historical  purposes  what  is  known  as  the 
Dark  Ages  comprise  the  thousand  years  from  the 
invasion  of  France  by  Clovis  in  486  to  that  of 
Naples  by  Charles  VIII.  in  1495,  or  from  the 
date  of  the  transfer  of  the  imperial  dignity  from 
Rome  to  Constantinople  in  476  down  to  the  in- 
vention    of    printing    143842.     Although    the 
period  covered  by  the  term  «  Dark  Ages  "  is  at 


''-■ 


72 


VOU'MmH  THE  NAVIOATOn. 


best  an  arbitrary  one,  the  latter  event  would  seem 
to  signalize  more  fittingly  the  conclusion  of  the 
period  of  ignorance  and  bigotry,  and  to  usher  in 
the  centuries  which  should  be  dominated  by  a 
New  Europe. "  The  weary  old  world  was  ripe  for 

something  new. 

"  While  the  sun  of  chivalry  set  and  the  expir- 
ing energies  of  f eudaUsm  ebbed  away ;  while  the 
elder  Capets  gave  place  to  the  Houses  of  Valois 
and  Orleans   in  France;  and  whUe   the   bloody 
wars  of  Lancaster  and  York  made  England  deso- 
late and  barren,  the  mystery  of  the  Atlantic  still 
lay  unsolved  under  the  shadows  of  the  West. 
At  last  Louis  XL  rose  above  the  ruins  of  feudal 
France,  and  Henry  VH.  over  the  fragments  of 
broken  EngLand.     In  Spain,  Ferdinand  and  Isa- 
bella, expelling  both  the  Jew  and  the  Moham- 
medan, consolidated  the  kingdom  and  prepared 
the  way  for  the  Spanish  ascendency  in  the  time 
of  their  grandeur." 

At  this   juncture   there    appeared— a  Man— 


ll 


-"3BSB?W!5:" 


lid  seem 
u  of  the 
usher  in 
;e(l  by  a 
1  ripe  for 

;he  expir- 
while  the 
of  Valois 
e   bloody 
[and  deso- 
antie  still 
;he  West, 
of  feudal 
rments  of 
I  and  Isa- 
e  Moham- 
l  prepared 
I  the  time 

—a  Man — 


COL  UMB  CS  TUE  AM  VIOA  TOR.  T8 

Prince  Henry  of  Portugal,  who  boasted  one  of 
the  most  enlightened  minds  of  his  time. 

"  This  prince  Avas  born  in  i:«)4.     He  was  the 
third  son   of  John  the  First    of   Portugal   and 
Philippa,  the  daughter  of  John  of  Gaunt,  Duke 
of  Lancaster.     That  good  Plantagenet  blood  on 
the   mother's   side  was,    doubtless,  not  without 
avail  to  a  man  whose  life  was  to  be  spent  in  con- 
tinucms   and   insatiate    efforts    to    work    out    a 
great  idea.     Prince  Henry  was  with  his  father  at 
the  memorable  capture  of  Ceufci,  the  ancient  Sep- 
lem,  in  the  year  Ulf..     This  town,  which  lies 
opposite  to  Gibraltar,  was  of  great  ma  nificence, 
and  one  of  the  principal  marts  in  that  age  for 
the   productions  of   the  eastern  world.     K  was 
here   that   the  Portuguese  first   planted  a  finn 
foot    in   Africa;   and  the   date   of   this  town's 
capture  may,   perhaps,   be   taken   as   that  from 
which  Prince  Henry  began  to  meditate  further 
and  far  greater  conquests.     His  aims,  however, 
were  directed  to  a  point  long  beyond  the  range 


I 


71  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

of  the  mere  conquering  soldier.     He  was  especially 
learned  for  that  age  of  the  world,  being  .killed 
in   mathematical  and    geographical    knowledge. 
He  eagerly  acquired  from  the  Moors  of  Fez  and 
Morocco   such   scanty   information   as  could  be 
gathered  concerning  tiie  remote  districts  of  Africa. 
The  shrewd  conjectures  of  learned  men,  the  con- 
fused records  of  Arabic  geographers,  the  fables 
of   chivalry   were   not   without    their    influence 
upo.i  an  enthusiastic  mhul.     The  especial  reason 
>vhich  impelled  the  prince  to  take  the  burden  of 
discovery  on  himself  was  that  neither   mariner 
nor  merchant  would  be  likely  to  adopt  an  enter- 
prise in  which  there  was  no  clear  hope  of  profit. 
"  It  belonged,    therefore,   to   great   men   and 
princes;  and  among  such  he  knew  of  no  one  but 
himself  who  was  inclined  to  it.     This  is  not  an 
uncommon  motive.     A  man  sees  something  that 
ought  to  be  done,  knows  of  no  one  that  will  do 
it  but  himself,  and  so  is  driven  to  the  enterprise 
even  should  it  be  repugnant  to  him. 


^specially 
tr  skilled 
lowledge. 
E  Fez  and 
could  be 
of  Af liea. 
,  the  eon- 
the  fables 
influence 
Aid  reason 
burden  of 
iv  mariner 
;  an  entei- 
;  of  profit. 
;   men   and 
no  one  but 
3  is  not  an 
ething  that 
liat  will  do 
,6  enterprise 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  75 

«  Prince  Henry,  then,  having  once  the  well- 
grounded  idea  in  his  mind  that  Africa  did  not 
end,  according  to  the  common  belief,  at  Cape 
Nun,  but  that  there  was  a  region  beyond  that 
forbidding  negative,  seems  never  to  have  rested 
until  he  had  made  known  tliat  quarter  of  the 
world  to  his  own." 

It  is  not  unworthy  of  a  few  moments'  digres- 
sion to  remark  that  when,  in  1480,  the  Portu- 
guese  navigator,   Bartholomew   de  Diaz,  re-dis- 
covered the  southern  promontory  of  the  African 
continent,   and   named   it  "  Cabo   Tormentoso," 
"  Cape  of  Storms,"  he  did  but  revive  the  old  appel- 
lation by  Avhich,  entirely  unknown   to  him,    of 
course,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  had  been  known 
to  the  maritime  adventurers  of  nearly  two  thou- 
sand years  before. 

"Re-discovered"  we  say  advisedly  and  with 
ample  authority.  There  is  every  reason  to  be- 
Ueve  that,  long  b'   .re  our  records  of  modern 


|ri|||llllllfi|i^jl^iftL#:^tifwMN^^^^^^^ 


70  COLUMBUS  rilE  NAVWATOIi. 

discovery    commence,    the    circumnavigation    of 
Africa  Avas  accomplished. 

About  600  years  before  Christ  there  reigned  on     , 
the  throne    of    Egypt,    Necho,    the.    king    .vho 
commenced   the  famous  canal  between  the  Nde 
and  the  Arabian  Gulf,  which  enterprise,  by  the  way, 
was  abandoned  after  costing  the  lives  of  120,000 

men.  "* 

At  this  time,  and  in  fact  throughout  the  ancient 
world,  Africa  was  believed  to  be  surrounded  by 
water  on  all  side.,  except  at  the  narrow  neck  now 
traversed  by  the  Suez  Canal.     But  the  precise 
c(mformation   of  the   southern   part  was  an  un- 
solved problem,  and  was  deemed  to  be  "  an  un- 
discovered country  from  whose  bourne  no  traveb 
ler  returned."     In  that  age  of  superstition   and 
idolatry  the   most  fabul.)us  stories  were  current 
aboul  'what   was   unknown.     So  that   it    is    not 
suange  that  exaggerated  representations  of  the 
dangers   to    be    encountered,    of    the    frightful 
coasts,  aiAd  of  the  stormy  and  boundless  ocean 


atiou    of 


lioned  on 
ing  Avho 
the  Nile 
jr  the  way, 
1 120,000 


le  ancient 
)unded  by 

neck  now 
lie  precise 
iis  an  iin- 
\  "  an  un- 

no  travel- 
itition  and 
316  current 

it  is  not 
ions  of  the 
y  frightful 
lless  ocean 


COLUMBUS  rriE  NAVIOATOU.  7T 

supposed  to  stretch  to  the  confines  of  earth's 
surface,  were  rife,  and  were  recounted  again,  and 
yet  again,  in  the  hearing  of  the  credulous  mar- 
iners whose  only  experience  of  Neptune's  fury 
was  within  the  narrow  limits  of  the  "  Magna 
Mare  "  of  the  Romans. 

The  Phoenicians  were  at  that  date  the  mari- 
ners ;;«r  .x-c6??enc.  of  the  whole  known  world; 
their  enterprise  and  adventurous  spirits  led  them 
far    past   the    Pillars   of    Hercules,    those    grim 
guardians  on  the  threshold  of  the  Atlantic,  even 
to   the    shore,    of    Britain.     Their  high-sterned, 
single-masted  craft  were  to  he  seen  in  the  waters 
of  every  sea  then  known ;   they    enrolled  them- 
selves under  the  banner  of  any  monarch  or  king- 
dom  who   would   make  it    sufficiently    to    their 
interest,   and   among   those   whom   they   served 
was  the  before-mentioned  Necho,  King  of  Egypt. 
Herodotus,   whose  writings  cover   such   an    im- 
portant era  in  the  world's  history,  viz.,  the  cen- 
turies preceding  the  Nativity  at  Bethlehem,  gives  a 


-8  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

most  mteresting  account  of  what  was  undoubtedly 
a  great  feat,  and  from  it  and  other  sources  we 
learn   that   when    Neeho   at   last   desisted   from 
opening  a  canal  from  the  Nile  to  the  Red  Sea,  he 
cast  about  him  for  some  other  kingly  enterprise. 
Accordingly    "he   sent    certain    Ph(Bnicians    m 
ships  with  orders  to  pass   by   the   Columns   of 
Hercules  into  the  sea  that  lies  to  the  north  of 
Africa,  and  thus  return  to  Egypt.     These  Phcem- 
cians  thereupon  set  sail  from  the  Red  Sea  and 
entered  into  the    Southern  Ocean.     They  saded 
south  for  many  months.     On   the    approach    o! 
autumn  they  landed  in  Africa,  and  planted  some 
grain  in  the  quarter  to  which  they  had  cm^e  ; 
when   this  was  ripe  and  they  had  cut  it  down, 
they  put  to  sea  again.     Having  spent  two  years 
in  this  way,  they  in  the  third  passed  the  Col- 
umns of  Hercules  and  returned  to  Egypt."     Now 
comes  what  is  to  us  the  strange    part   of   the 
narrative  of  Herodotus,  but  at  the  same  time  the 
best  confirmation  we  could  wish  that  he  was  not 


oubtedly 
Lirces  we 
ed  from 
d  Sea,  he 
Qterprise. 
icians  in 
lumns   of 

north  of 
se  Phteni- 
l  Sea  and 
hey  sailed 
proa(!h    Oi. 
nted  some 
lad  come  ; 
it  it  down, 

two  years 
d  the  Col- 
pt."  Now 
art  of  the 
le  time  the 
he  was  not 


-    COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  79 

rekting  a  mere  "sailor's  yarn,"    as  he    himself 
evidently  believes.     He  goes  on  to  say :     "Then- 
relations  may  obtain  credit  with  scnne,  but  to  me  it 
seems   impossible   of   belief;   for   they    affirmed 
that,  as  they  sailed  arouiul  the  coa^t  of  Africa, 
they  had  the  sun  on  their  right  handl"     But  to 
us  who  bask  in  the  revelations  of  modern  science, 
the  report  which  Herodotus  thought  so  fabulous 
as  to  throw  discredit  upon  the  entire  narrative, 
namely,  that  in  passi..g  round  Africa  they  found 
the  sun  on  their  right,  affords  to  us  the  strong- 
est presumption  in  favor  of  its  truth.     Such   a 
statement  as  this  could  nev«r  have  been  imagined 
in  an  age  when  the  science  of  astronomy  was  m 
its  infaucy-when  the  earth  was  believed  to  be  a 
Hat  plane  and  the  center  of  the  universe.     Of 
course,   after  having  passed  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and   turning  their  prows   northward,  the 
Phoenician,   must   have  found  the  sun  on  their 
right  hand.     In  addition  they  brought  back  the 
most  fabulous  stories  of  what  they  saw;  for  some 


^  COLUilttVS  rllE  NAViaATOD. 

Of  which  we  ave  undoubtedly  mdebted  to  their 

imagination. 

It  is  true  that  many  writers  have  labored  to 
prove  ttat  the  voyage  in  all  l>robability  never  took 
pbce,  urging  as  their  chief  objections  that  the 
time  occutied  was  too  short  in  that  age  of  slow 
and  caution.  saiUng,  when  it  was  customary  to 
sail  only  by  day,  and  to  anchor  at  night;  and  also 
that  the  undertaking  was  .me    for    wluch  the 
Phoenician  galleys  of  the  time  were  entnely  un- 
fitted.    On    the    other   hand,  s,m,e  of  the  best 
authorities  are  agreed  that  such  a  feat  was  not 
only  possible,  but  that  it  actually  took  pbce,  else 
how  could  the  voyagm  have  returned  to  the.r 
startinrpoint  from  an  opposite  direction  to  that 
in  which  they  set  out,  and  how  did  they  come  to 

'     observe  the  sun  on  their  right  hand?    It  .s  suf- 

flcient  to  say  that  these  .juestions  have  never  been 

answered. 

After  diligent  study  of  the  writings  ot  the  an- 
cients. Prince  Henry  came  to  the  ■    oclusion  that 


to  their 

ibored  to 
levev  took 
that  tho 
sre  o£  sU)W 
itoiuary  to 
t ;  and  also 
which  the 
iitively  un- 
£  the  best 
sat  was  not 
L  pkce,  else 
led  to  their 
ition  to  that 
ley  come  to 
?     It  is  suf- 
e  never  been 

rs  of  the  an- 
n  elusion  that 


COLUMBUS  rilK  NAVIGATOn.  81 

the  continent  of  Africa  could  be  circumnavigated 
to  the  southward.     It  is  true  that  "  the  possibxhty 
of  circumnavigating  Africa,  after  being  for  a  long 
tune  admitted   by  geographers,  was   denied   by 
.^.-^j^paiuJius,  who  considered  each  sea  shut  up  and 
land-bound  in  its  peculiar  basin  ;  and  that  Af  nca 
^;;;i;;ntinent  continuing  onward  to  the  south 
pole,  and  surrounding  the  Indian   sea,  so  as  to 
join  Asia  beyond  the  Ganges.     This  opinion  had 
been  adopted  by  Ptolemy,  whose  works,  ux  the 
time  of  Prince  Henry,  were  the  highest  authority  m 
geography.     The  prince,  however,  clung  to  the 
ancient  belief,  that  Africa  was  circumnavxgable 
andfoundhis  opinion  sanctioned  by  various  learned 
men  of  more  modern  date.     To  settle  this  ques- 
tion, and  achieve  the  circumnavigation  of  Atnca, 
was  an  object  worthy  the  ambition  of  aprince,  and 
his  mind  was  fired  with  the  idea  of  the  vast  benefits 
that   would   arise  to   his   country   should  M   he 
accomplished  by  Portuguese  enterprise." 

"  The  discovery  of  America  by  Columbus,"  says 


82 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


Professor  John  Fiske,  "  was  due  to  the  shifting  of 
the  lines  of  Asiatic  trade  on  accoiHifeof  the  encroach- 
ment of  the  Turks.     Ever  since  the  Crusades  the 
routes  by  way  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  as  well 
as  the  overland  paths  for  caravans,  had  been  much 
traveled.     In  1453  the  Mussulmans  captured  the 
seat  of  the  Eastern  Empire  and  thus  the  sultan's 
sway  became  wider.     The  avenues  of  trade  were 
closed,  although  the  volume  of  commerce  in  this 
direction  was  swelling.     The  merchants  of  Genoa, 
Pisa,  Florence,  and  other  places  were  compelled  to 
seek   new   routes.     At  this    time    two   opposite 
views  as  to  the  shape  of  the  earth  were  current. 
That  of  Pomponius  Mela  af&rmed  that  land  to 
the  southward   ceased   with  the  Sahara  Desert, 
while  Claudius  Ptolemy  held  that  the  earth  ex- 
tended to  the  south  pole ;     thus  denying  that  Af- 
rica was  circumnavigable.     It  was  natural  for  the 
Portuguese  to  start  the  movement  toward  finding 
new  passages,  as  they  were  the  first  people  after 
the  Northmen  to  engage  in  distant  commerce." 


-; 


shifting  of 
3  encroach- 
usades  the 
lea  as  well 
been  much 
ptured  the 
be  sultan's 
trade  were 
Hce  in  this 
?  of  Genoa, 
)mpelled  to 
o   opposite 
sre  current, 
at  land  to 
ira  Desert, 
9  earth  ex- 
ng  that  Af- 
xral  for  the 
ard  finding 
jeople  after 
nmerce." 


COLUMIWS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  8P 

For  over  a  century  the  Lombards  had  monop- 
olized the  overland  trade  Avith  Africa ;  the  republics 
of  Venice  and  Genoa  owed  their  Avealth  and  import- 
ance to  this  trade  ;  and  while  very  profitable  to 
these  merchants,  the  heavy  cost  of  land  carriage 
greatly  enhanced  the  value  of  the  articles  brought 
from  India  and  the  East.     "  It  was  the  grand 
idea  of  Prince  Henry,  by  circumnavigating  Africa, 
to  open  a  direct  and  easy  route  to  the  source  of 
this  commerce  ;  to  turn  it  in  a  golden  tide  upon 
his  country.     He  was,  however,  before  the  age  in 
thought,  and  had  to  counteract  ignorance  and 
prejudice,   and   to  endure  the  delays  to  which 
vivid  and  penetrating  minds  are  subjected  from 
the  tardy  co-operation  of  the  dull  and  the  doubt- 
ful.    The  navigation  of  the  Atlantic  was  yet  in 
its  infancy.     Mariners  looked  with  distrust  upon 
a  boisterous  expanse,  which  appeared  to  have  no 
opposite  shore,  and  feared  to  venture  out  of  sight 
of  the  landmarks.     Every  bold  headland  and  far- 
stretching  promontory  was  a  wall  to  bar  their 


met.' 


84  COLUMliUS  THE  yAVWATOR. 

progress.  They  crept  timor..usl^  along  t.he  Bar- 
bary  shores,  and  thought  they  had  accoiuplished  a 
wonderful  expedition  when  they  had  ventured  a 

few    degrees   beyond   the    Straits    of   Gibraltar. 

Cape  Nun  was  long  the  limit  of  their  daring  ; 

they  hesitated  to  double  its  rocky  point,  beaten 

by  winds  and  threatening  to  thrust  them  forth 

upon  the  raging  deep. 

"Independent  of  these  vague  fears,  they  had 
others,  sanctioned   by   philosophy  itself.     They 
still  thought  that  the  earth  at  the  equator  was 
girdled  by  a  torrid  zone,  over  which  the  sun  held 
his  vertical  and  fiery  course,  separating  the  hemi- 
suheres  by   a   region   of   impassive  heat.     They 
fancied  Cape  Bojador  the  utmost  boundary  of 
secure  enterprise,andfosteredasuperstitiousbelief 

that   whoever   doubled  it  would   never    return. 

•  They  looked  with  dismay  upon  the  rapid  current. 

of  its  neighborhood,  and  the  furious  surf  which 

beat  upon  its  arid  coast.     They  imagined  that 

beyond  it  lay  the  frightful  region  of  the  torrid 


r  ihe  Bar- 
luplished  a 
ventured  a 
Gibraltar. 
ir  daring  ; 
mt,  beaten 
them  forth 

,,  they  had 
self.     They 
gquator  was 
he  sun  held 
gthe  hemi- 
leat.     They 
•oundary  of 
ititious  belief 
(ver    return, 
ipid  currents 
}  surf  which 
magined  that 
)f  the  torrid 


COLUMnUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  85 

zone,  scorched  by  a  blazing  sun  ;  a  region  of  fire, 
where  the  very  waves,  which  beat  upon  the  shores, 
boiled  under  the  intolerable  fervor  of  the  heavens. 
"  To  dispel  these  errors,  and  to  give  a  scope  to 
navigation  equal  to  the  grandeur  of  his  designs, 
Vr'     e  Henry  established   a   naval   college,  and 
erected  an   observatory  at  Sagres,  and  he  invited 
thither  the  most  eminent  professors  of  the  nautical 
sciences  ;  appointing  as  president  James  of  Mal- 
lorca,  a  man  learned  in  navigation,  and  skillful 
in  making  charts  and  instruments. 

"  The  effects  of  this  estabhshment  were  soon 
apparent.     AH  that  was  known  relative  to  geogra 
phy  and  navigation  was  gathered  together  and 
reduced   to   system.     A  vast  improvement  took 
place  in  maps.     The  compass  was  also  brought 
into  more  general  use, 'especially  among  the  Por- 
tuguese, rendering  the  mariner  more  bold  and 
venturous,  by  enabling  him  to  navigate  in  the  most 
gloomy  day  and  in  the  darkest  night.     Encour- 
aged by  these  advantages,  and  stimulated  by  the 


: 


8G 


COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVICATOlt. 


munificence  of  Prince  Henry,  the  Portuguese 
marine  became  sij^nalized  for  the  i-  Mtliliood  of 
its  enterprises  and  tlie  extent  of  its  discovoried. 
Cape  Bojador  was  doubled  ;  the  region  of  the 
tropics  penetrated,  and  divested  of  its  fancied 
terrors ;  tlie  greater  part  of  the  African  coast, 
from  Cape  Blanco  to  Cape  de  Verde,  explored ; 
and  the  Cape  de  Verde  and  Azores  Lslnuds,  which 
lay  three  hundred  leagir  :5  distant  from  the  conti- 
nent, were  rescued  from  the  oblivious  empire  of 
the  ocean.  To  secure  the  quiet -prosecution  and 
full  enjopnent  of  his  discoveries,  Henry  obtained 
the  protection  of  a  papal  bull,  granting  to  the 
crown  of  Portugal  sovereign  authority  over  all 
the  lands  it  might  discover  in  the  Atlantic,  to 
India  inclusive,  with  plenary  indulgence  to  all 
who  should  die  in  these  expeditions ;  at  the  same 
time  menacing  with  the  terrors  of  the  Church  all 
who  should  interfere  in  these  Christian  conquests. 
"  Henry  died  on  the  13th  of  November,  1473, 
without   accomplishing  the  great   object   of  his 


Portuguese 
,)tliliood  of 
diHCOYorit's. 
^ion  of  the 
its  fancied 
rican  coast, 
B,  explored ; 
lands,  which 
0  the  conti- 
;  empire  of 
lecution  and 
iry  obtained 
iting  to  the 
ity  over  all 
Atlantic,  to 
fence  to  all 
at  the  same 
2  Church  all 
n  conquests, 
mber,  1473, 
3Ject  of  his 


; 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Photographic 

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Collection  de 
microfiches. 


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Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  JVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


COLUMltr.S  TlIK  XAViaATOIl.  gy 

ambition.  It  Avas  not  until  many  years  after- 
wards, that  Vasco  da  Gama,  pursuino-  with  a  Por- 
tuguese fleet  the  track  he  had  pointed  out,  realized 
his  anticipations  by  doubling  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  sailing  along  the  southern  coast  of  India, 
and  thus  opening  a  highway  for  ccmimerce  to  the 
opulent  regions  of  the  East.  Henry,  however, 
lived  long  enough  to  reap  some  of  the  richest  re- 
wards of  a  great  and  good  mind.  He  beheld, 
through  his  means,  his  native  country  in  a  grand 
and  active  career  of  prosperity.  The  discoveries 
of  the  Portuguese  were  the  wonder  and  admira- 
tion of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  Portugal,  from 
being  one  of  the  least  among  nations,  suddenly 
rose  to  be  one  of  the  most  important.  All  this 
was  effected,  not  by  arms,  but  by  arts  ;  not  by  the 
stratagems  of  a  cabinet,  but  by  the  wisdom  of  a 
college.  It  was  the  great  achievement  of  a  prince 
who  has  well  been  described  as  '  full  of  thoughts 
of  lofty  enterjjrise,  and  acts  of  generous  spirit : ' 
one  who  bore  for  his  device  the  niafjnanimous 


8S 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


motto,  *  The  talent  to   do  good,'  the   only  talent 
worthy  the  ambition  of  princes. 

"  Henry,  at  his  death,  left  it  in  charoe  to  his 
country  to  prosecute  the  route  to  India.     He  had 
formed    companies   and   associations,    l)y   which 
commercial  zeal  was  enlisted  in  the  cause,  and  it 
was  made  a  matter  of  interest  and  competition  to 
enterprising  individuals.     From  time  to  time  Lis- 
bon was  thrown  into  a  tumult  of  excitement  by 
the  launching  forth  of  some  new  expedition,  or 
the  return  of  a  squadron  with  accounts  of  new 
tracts     explored     and    new    kingdoms    visited. 
Everything  was  confident  promise  and  sanguine 
anticipation.     The  miserable  hordes  of  the  African 
coast  were  magnified  into  powerful  nations,  and 
the  voyagers  continually  heard  of  opulent  coun- 
tries farther  on.     It  was  as  yet  the  twilight  of 
geographic  knowledge  ;  imagination  went  hand  in 
hand  with  discovery,  and  as  the  latter  groped  its 
slow  and  cautious  way,  the  former  peopled  all 
beyond  with  wonders.     The  fame  of  the  Portu- 


%■■ 


;'  talent 

to  his 
He  had 
which 
and  it 
Ition  to 
me  Lis- 
lent  by 
tion,  or 
of  new 
visited, 
iinguine 
African 
)ns,  and 
it  coiin- 
Ught  of 
hand  in 
•oped  its 
pled  all 
e  Portu- 


COLUMIiUS  THE  NAVWATOl}. 


89 


guese  discoveries,  and  of  the  expeditions  continu- 
ally setting  out,  drew  the  attention  of  the  world. 
Strangers  from  all  })arts,  the  learned,  the  curious, 
and  the  adventurous,  resorted  to  Lisbon  to  inquire 
into  the  particulars  or  to  partici{)ate  in  the  advan- 
tages of  these  enterprises.  Among  these  was 
Christopher  Columbus." 


90 


CULUMItUS  THE  NAVICATOR. 


CHAPTER  III. 


:!HRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS. 


"  Honor  ami  shiune  from  no  condition  rise, — 
Act  well  your  part,  thore  all  the  honor  lies." 

We  have  seen  that  the  woikl  was  ripe  for  a 
great  discovery,  or  a  series  of  great  discoveries. 
Not  ak)ne  in  the  reahn  of  action  and  enterprise, 
pioneered  hy  the  Portugnese,  were  new  vistas 
opening  np,  hut  the  whole  fiekl  of  intellectnal 
specuhition  and  deduction  was  in  a  ferment,  and 
men's  minds  as  well  as  men's  bodies  imperatively 
demanded  new  worlds  to  conqner.  What  won- 
der, then,  that  the  Western  riddle  should  be 
chosen  as  one  of  the  first  for  solution !  All  that 
was  wanted  was  the  Man,  and  he  now  appeared. 


[)e  for  a 
icoveries. 
iterprise, 
w  vistas 
tellectual 
lent,  and 
leratively 
liat  won- 
loulcl  be 
All  that 
appeared. 


coLUMiirs  Tin:  yAvwAToii.  91 

"  Whether  in  old  times,  heyond  the  reach  of 
history  or  tradition,  and  in  some  remote  period  of 
civilization,  when,  as  some  imagine,  the  arts  may 
have  flourished  to  a  degree  unknown  to  those 
whom  we  term  the  Ancients,  there  existed  an 
intercourse  between  the  opposite  shores  of  the 
Atlantic ;  whether  the  Egyptian  legend,  narrated 
by  Plato,  respecting-  the  island  of  Atlantis  was 
indeed  no  fable,  bnt  the  obscure  tradition  of  some 
vast  country,  engulfed  by  one  of  those  mighty  con- 
vulsions of  our  globe,  which  have  left  traces  of 
the  ocean  on  the  summits  of  lofty  mountains,  must 
ever  remain  matters  of  vague  and  visionary  spec- 
idation.  As  far  as  authenticated  history  extends, 
nothing  was  known  of  terra  firma  and  the  islands 
of  the  Western  hemisphere  until  their  discovery 
towards  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century.  A 
wandering  bark  may  occasionally  have  lost  sight 
of  the  landmarks  of  the  old  continents,  and  been 
driven  by  tempest  across  the  wilderness  of  waters 
long   before  the   invention  of  the   compass,  but 


I 


f)2  t<)L UMB US  THE  ^A  \ ' Id.  1 TOU. 

never  returned  to  reveal  the  secrets  of  the  ocean. 
And   thouuli,   from  time    to  time,   some   strai.ge 
flotsam  came  to  the  shores  of  the  ohl  Avorkl,  giv- 
in<>-  to  its  wonderinjij  inhahitants  evidences  of  land 
far  beyond  their  Avntery  horizon,  yet  no  one  ven- 
tured to  spread  a  sail,  and  seek  that  land  envel- 
oped in    mystery  and  peril.      The  Scandinavian 
voyagers  had  hut  transient  glimpses  of  the  new 
■world,  leading  to  no  certain  or  permanent  knowl- 
edge, and  in  a  little  time  lost  again  to  mankind. 
Certain  it  is  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth 
century,   when  the  most  intelligent  minds  were 
seekiu"-  in  every  direction  for  the   scattered  lights 
of  geograpliic;d  knowledge,  a  profound  ignorance 
prevailed  among  the  learned  as  to  the  Avestern 
re<nons    of    the    Atlantic ;  its  vast  Avaters   Avere 
re'i-arded  Avith  awe  and  Avonder,  seeming  to  bound 
the  Avorld  as  Avith  a  chaos,  into  which  conjecture 
could   not   penetrate    and  enterprise    feared    to 
adventure.     We  need  no  greater  proofs  of  this 
than   the  description    given   of  the  Atlantic  by 


COLUMBUS  THE  XAVIOATOR. 


03 


!  ocean. 
strange 
•1(1,  giv- 

of  land 
)ne  ven- 
l  envel- 
linavian 
;lie  new 
b  knowl- 
lanlcind. 
ifteentli 
ds  were 
;d  lights 
^norance 

western 
srs  were 
o  bound 
•njeeture 
ared  to 
^  of  this 
antic  by 


Xerif  al  Edrisi,  surnamed  The  Nubian,   an  emi- 
nent Arabian  writer,  whose  countrymen  were  the 
boldest  navigators  of  the  middle  ages,  and  pos- 
sessed all  that  was  then    known   of   geography. 
The  •'  ocean  '   he   observes,  '  encircles  the  ultimate 
bounds  of  the  inhabited  earth,  and  all  beyond  it 
is  unknown.     No  one  has  been  able  to  verify  any- 
thino-  concerniny:  it,  on  account  of  its  difficult  and 
perilous  navigation,  its  great   obscurity,  its  pro- 
found depth,    and   frequent    tempests;    through 
fear  of  its  mighty  fishes  and  its  haughty   winds  ; 
yet   there  are  many  islands  in  it,— some  peopled, 
others  uninhabited.     There   is  no  mariner  who 
dares  to  enter  into   its  deep  waters;  or,   if  any 
have  done  so,  they  have    merely   kept   along  its 
coasts  fearful  of  departing  from  them.     The  waves 
of  this    ocean,    although    they    roll    as    high  as 
mountains,  yet  maintain  themselves  wiih out  break- 
ino- :  for  if  they  broke,  it  would  be  in  v.  possible  for 
a  ship  to  plough  them." 

The  foregoing  paragraph  contains  the  opening 


r 


94  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

words  of  Irvinj^'s  noble  biography  of  the  mariner 
of  Genoa,  and  they  aptly  describe  the  atmosphere 
of  donbt  in  which  the  age  was  enveloped  concern- 
in<r  the  Great  Unknown  across  the  Western 
Ocean. 

It  mijiht  be  said  of  Columbns,  as  was  said  of 
Hcmier,  that  "'  seven  rival  cities  claim  his  birth." 
UpAvard  of  "  fifteen  towns  and  villages  clahn  to  be 
the  birthplace  of  the  renowned  discoverer  of  the 
New  World,"  says  a  recent  reviewer.  Ten  or 
more  of  them  arc  on  the  Ligurian  coast ;  but 
beyond  the  Apennines  are  Casserca,  Cuzzare  in 
the  Montferrat,  Pradello  near  Piacenza,  and  there 
is  also  Calvi  in  Corsica.  Spotorno  argued  that  no 
place  outside  the  Genoese  territory  deserved  con- 
sideration, and  the  upshot  of  Tarducci's  researches 
is  that  he  was  born  in  the  city  of  Genoa  itself. 
Yet  the  Abb.'  Casanova,  a  Corsican  archaeologist, 
has  discovered  archives  which  are  thought  to  show 
that  Colund)us  w  as  born  in  Calvi  and  eniigrated  to 
Genoa ;  and  it  is  said  that  an  inscription  has  been 


laid  of 
birth." 
11  to  be 
of  the 
fell  or 
;t ;  but 
zare  in 
d  there 
:hat  no 
ed  con- 
Barches 
itself. 
[)logist, 
;o  show 
'ated  to 
IS  been 


COLl'Mnrs  THE  NAVIGATOR.  95 

put  on  a  house  in  the  former  city  as  his  birth- 
place.    Henry  Ilarrisse  has  been  able  to  count  up 
eiohteen  Italian  towns  claiming;  to  be  the  bnth- 
place  of  Columbus,  and  has  amusingly  discussed 
their  pretensions.     But  the  clahn  of  Savona,  not 
far  from  Genoa,  seemed  to  him  worthy  of  erudite 
refutation,  which  he  has  been  able  to  furnish  from 
documents  preserved  at  Savona  and  relating  to  the 
business  of  Christopher's  father.     Of  course,  the 
well-known  will  of  Columbus  would  seem  to  settle 
the  whole  question  in  two  of  its  phrases  :  "I,  being 
born  in   Genoa,"  and  "  since  I  came  from  and 
was  born  in  it. "     But  the  authenticity  of  the 
document  was  disputed  until  Navarette  came  to 
Genoa's  aid  with  proofs  of  its  genuineness.     Still, 
Calvi  or  any  other  claunant  may  say  that  Colum- 
bus was  in  error,  and  Americans  will  recall  that  so 
illustrious  a  man  as  the  late  General  Sheridan  had 
always  supposed  his  birthplace  to  be  in  a  little 
Ohio  town,  up  to  a  year  or  two  before  his  death, 
when  he  unexpectedly  learned  that  he  first  saw  the 


II 


•96  COLUMBUS  THE  yAVIGATOli. 

light  in  All):uiy,  in  New  York  State.     The  date  of 
the  great  sailor's  birth  is  no  less  widely  disputed 
than  the  place.     The  difference  of  opinion  on  this 
point  covers  the  full  quarter  of  a  century  heween 
1430  and   UrA),  while  between  1435  and   1449 
every  year  has  had  its  advocate.     Prof.  Tarducci 
thinks  the  three  dates  of  greatest  probability  are 
1436,  1446,  and  ]  456,  and  of   these  prefers  the 
first,  because  it  rests  on  the  authority  of  Bernal- 
dez,  who  had  Colund>us  as  a  guest,  and  mentions 
that  at  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1506,  he  was 
verging  on  his  70th  year.     And  yet  still  later  than 
this  conclusion  of  Tarducci  we  find  Harrisse,  in 
the  lievue  Jlistoriqiie,  quoting  from  a  manuscript, 
dated  Oct.   30,  1470,  recently  discovered  in  the 
Genoa  archives,  this  memorandum  :  "  Christofferus 
de  Columbo,  filius  Dominici,  major  annis   decem- 
novem."     Putting  this  with  sundry   other  facts 
Harrisse  regards  it  as  certain  that  Columbus  could 
not  have  been  born  before  1446  nor  after  1451, 
with  the  probability  that   his   birth   took  place 


;lWiHI«54AIUgJ>W<iJ*.-.-'tlMNi*M»Ji'»^ 


COLUMBUS  TIJK  NAVIOATOR.  fjfj 

between  March  25,  1446,  and  March  20,  1447. 
"  Another  disputed  point  concerns  the  early  Ufe 
and  education  of  Cohiinbus.  Three  of  his  fellow- 
countrymen  and  contemporaries,  Galli  Giustiniani, 
and  Senarega,  agree  that  he  was  taught  only  the 
elementary  branches,  and  Galli  says  that  he 
worked  at  the  trade  of  his  father,  Domenico,  who 
was  a  wool  carder.  But  Fernande,.the  younger 
son  of  the  great  Admiral,  who  wrote  a  history  of 
his  father,  which  was  marred  by  efforts  to  shed 
lustre  on  his  obscure  origin,  says  he  studied  at 
Pavia.  From  that  single  guarded  phrase  has 
sprung  the  theory  that  he  was  a  student  at  the 
university,  and  this  institution  put  up  a  monument 
to  its  putative  pupil.  But  Tarducci,  resting  on 
the  fact  that  he  certainly  went  to  sea  at  the  age 
of  14,  and  probably  worked  in  his  father's  shop 
before  that  time,  rejects  the  whole  myth  of  a  uni- 
versity education.  Indeed,  Domenico  and  Su- 
sanna Cblumbo,  who  had  three  other  sons  to  pro- 
vide for,  Bartholomew,  Pellegrino  and  Diego,  and 


"*ir.0^-^mfm»i^-^  niWWtt'  H'll'WBailfc  jg"  j.^'jtjfr:.-** 


■"*■'"  '^^I'rjfejiwigiii-^i^ijiU^Ji^^ 


98 


COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVIGATOR. 


a  daughter  who  married  BavareUo,  the  cheese- 
monger, had  not  means  enough  to  support  a  son 
at  the  famous  Lomhard  university.  But,  adniit- 
thi<r  his  lack  of  schohistic  education,  it  is  all  the 
greater  proof  of  the  genius  of  Columbus,  that, 
busy  mariner  as  he  was  from  his  boyhood,  he 
became  not  only  one  of  the  best  cosmographers  of 
his  day,  but  a  man  versed  in  ecclesiastical  hterature 
and  in  general  science.  Of  his  acquired  learning 
we  get  incontrovertible  proo^  in  his  journals  kept 
aboard  ship,  where,  without  books  to  aid  him,  he 
rei)eatedly  cited  authors  and  passages  to  support 
his  theories." 

Christopher  Columbus,  or  Christoforo  Colombo, 
as  the  name  is  written  in  Italian,  was,  then-  a 
Genoese.  Although  his  father  was  a  wool- 
comber,  some  of  his  ancestors  had  been  navigators 
in  the  service  of  Genoa  and  France.  But  this 
relationship  is  allowed  to  have  been  a  rather  remote 
one,  and,  as  his  son  and  biographer  remarks,  the 
glory  of  the  greatest  admiral  of  them  all  "  is 


'tigeii.mgjr 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


09 


cheese- 
rt  a  son 
:,  admit- 
;  all  the 
IS,  that, 
ood,  he 
pliers  o£ 
iterature 
learmng 
als  kept 
him,  he 
support 

^olomho, 
then-  a 
a  wool- 
ivigators 
But  this 
!r  remote 
arks,  the 
all  "is 


quite  enough  without  there  heing  any  necessity  to 
borrow  any  from  his  forebears." 

"  At  a  very  early  age  he  became  a  student  at 
the  University  of  Pavia,  where  he  laid  the  found- 
ations  of   that   knowledge  of  mathematics   and 
natural  science  which  stood  him  in  good  stead 
throughout  his  life.     At  Genoa  he  would  natu- 
rally regard  the  sea  as  the  great  field  of  enterprise 
which  produced  harvests  of  rich  wares  and  spoils 
of  glorious  victories  ;  and  he  may  have  heard,  now 
and  then,  news  of  the  latest  conclusions  of  the 
Arabic    geographers  at  Sennaar,  and  rumors  of 
explorations  down  the  African  coast,  which  would 
be  sure  to  excite  interest  among  the  maritime 
population  of  his  birthplace.     It  is  not  wonderful 
that,  exposed  to  such  hifluences,  he  preftjried  a 
life  of  adventure  on  the  sea  to  the   drudgery  of 
his  father's  trade  in  Genoa.     Accordingly,  after 
a  few  irksome  months  as  a  carder  of  wool  {lector 
panni),  he  entered  on  his  nautical  career  before 
he  was  fifteen  years  old, 


J 


100  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

"  Of  his  many  voyages,  which  of  them  took 
place  oefore,  and  which  after,  his  coming  to  For- 
tiio-al,  we  have  no  distinct  record;  hut  are  sure 
that  he  traversed  a  large  part  of  Jie  known  world, 
that  he  visited  England,  that  he  made  his  way  to 
Iceland  and  Friesland,  that  he  had   heen  at  El 
Mina,  on  the  coast  of  Guinea,  and  that  he  had 
seen  the  Islands  of  the  Grecian  Archipelago.     '  I 
have  been  seeking  out  the  secrets  of  nature  for 
forty  years,'  he   says,  'and   wherever   ship   has 
sailed,  there  1  have  voyaged.'     But  beyond  a  few 
vague  allusions  of  this  kind,  we  know  scarcely 
anything  of  these  early  voyages.     However,  he 
mentions  particularly  his  having  been  employed  by 
King  Rt'ne  of  Provence  to  intercept  a  Venetian 
galliot.     And  this  exploit  furnishes  illustrations 
both  of  his  boldness  and  his  tact.     During  the 
voyage  the  news  was  brought  that  the  galliot  was 
convoyed  by  three  other  vessels.     Thereupon  the 
crew  were  unwilling  to  hazard  an  engagement, 
and  insisted  that  Columbus  should  return  to  Mar- 


mmm 


to  For- 


re  sure 
1  world, 

way  to 
1  at  El 

he  had 


?o. 


I 


;ure  for 
[lip   has 
id  a  few 
scarcely 
ever,  he 
loyed  by 
k^enetian 
strations 
ring  the 
lUiot  was 
ipon  the 
agement, 
I  to  Mai> 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  101 

seilles  for  reinforcement.  Columbus  made  a  feint 
of  acquiescence,  but  craftily  arranged  the  compass 
so  that  it  appeared  that  they  were  returning,  while 
they  were  really  steering  their  original  course,  and 
so  arrived  at  Carthagena  the  next  morning,  think- 
ing all  the  while  that  they  were  in  full  sail  for 
Marseilles." 

There  are  no  very  good  or  authentic  portraits 
of  Columbus  extant,  as  might  perhaps  be  expected. 
This  much,  however,  seems  to  be  certain — that  he 
was  tall  of  stature  and  dignified  in  bearing,  with 
a  long  oval  countenance,  an  aquiline  nose,  and  ex- 
pressive light  gray  eyes.     His  hair  and  complex- 
ion  were   fair;  the  former  turned   white   Avhile 
he  was  yet  in  the  prune  of  life.     His  manners 
were  grave,  courteous,  and  winning.     He  was  at 
once  resolute  and  humane  ;  courageous  and  com- 
passionate.    He  was  simple,  unaffected,  and  deeply 
religious.     To  his  superiors  he  was  unflinchingly 
hdnest  and  loyal,  and  he  endeavored  to  command 
alike  obedience  in  turn  from  those  placed  under 


X'ihuu 


102  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIOATOli. 

his  command.  There  are  dark  and  dubious  facts 
and  passages  in  his  Hfe  ;  he  has  been  called  phate, 
buccaneer,  and  slave-driver.  But  he  lived  in  a 
period  o£  storm  and  stress  ;  his  faults  were  those 
of  his  time  and  of  those  w'lom  he  served.  In 
saying  that  he  was  brave,  steadfast,  with  the  rough 
honor  of  a  bluft'  old  sea-dog,  we  complete  the 
portrait  outlines  of  a  veritable  Bayard  of  the  Seas ; 
and  if  his  enthusiasm  for  his  own  beliefs  some- 
times deafened  and  blinded  him  to  more  prudent 
counsels,  he  remained  in  adversity,  and  in  pros- 
perity, and  in  adversity  again,  a  knight  without 
fear  and  without  reproach.* 


•  In  answering  the  query  "  Was  f'olinnbus  a  Jew  ?"  the  Jewixh 
World  anys:  "  Jews  figure  proniinciilly  in  tlie  liistory  of  the  dis- 
covery of  America.  Tlie  plans  and  calculations  of  Columbus'  ex- 
pedition were  largely  the  Avork  of  two  IIcl)rew  astronomers  and 
mathematicians.  Two  .lews  were  also  employed  as  interpreters  by 
("olumbus,  and  one  of  them,  Luiz  de  Torres,  was  tlie  first  Euro- 
pean to  set  foot  in  the  New  World.  When  Columbus  sighted  the 
island  of  San  Salvador  he  sent  Torres,  who  was  engaged  for  his 
knowledge  of  the  Arabi<',  ashore  to  make  hKiuiries  of  the  natives. 
It  w^as  probably  this  Torres  who  was  the  Madrid  Jew  to  whom 
Columbus  bequeathed  lialf  a  mark  of  silver  in  his  will. 

''  Another  curious  fact  is  that  it  has  lieeri  curiously  suggested — 
by  Franz  Delitzsch,  we  believe— tliat  Columbus  himself  was  a  Jew 


<Ii. 


L 


w 


J 


7'/,.'    ).(  .•      /'nr.'r-iil  .;/'  '■/,,■,,.,   /., 


!lj 


f 


t\iai4^ 


COL  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOR.  1 03 

The  jxirtrait  which  precedes  this  page  has  a 
curious  and  interesting-  history.  In  1763,  a  poi*- 
trait  of  Columbus,  with  those  of  Cortez,  Lope,  and 
Quevedo,  Avas  purchased  by  the  Spanish  Govern- 
ment from  N.  Yanez,  who  had  brought  it  from 
Granada.  No  trace  of  any  sucii  picture  having 
been  at  an  earlier  period  in  the  Royal  Picture  Gal- 
lery has  been  detected,  so  long  was  the  revealer  of 
the  Western  Hemisphere  unappreciated  in  Castile 
and  Leon.  This  Yanez  likeness  was  hung-  in  the 
National  Library  (Biblioteca  Nacrona)  and  soon 
confessed  by  art  ciitics  to  resemble  closely  in 
features  that  in  the  Florentine  Uffizi — the  oldest 
of  known  date,  and  that  from  which  Jefferson's 


or  of  Jewish  birth.  The  name  of  Cliristopher  was  frequently 
adopted  by  converts,  while  tlie  surname,  Colon,  belonged  to  a  dis- 
tinguished family  of  Jewisli scholars.  Christopher's  father,  Diego, 
bore  originally  tlie  Jewish  name  Jacob,  which  sounds  surprisingly 
like  Shem  Kadosh.  Perhaps,  during  the  coming  celebrations,  some 
Jewish  scholars  in  Italy  will  make  inquiry  into  the  validity  of  this 
'daring  suggestion." 

But  we  think  there  is  no  valid  ground  for  such  a  supposition  re- 
garding the  faith  of  Columbus.  Jew  by  descent  he  may  have  been, 
but  he  was  a  devout  and  loyal  son  of  Mother  Church,  and  died  in 
the  full  odor  of  sanctity. 


M 


II    I  iiiii.J«U«*' 


104 


COIAMIiUS  THE  NAVIGATOli. 


copy  had  been  taken.  It  was  highly  praised  by 
Navarrete,  in  his  grand  work,  which  is  a  nobler 
monument  to  Columbus  than  the  labor  of  an  age 
in  piled  stones. 

But  Spanish  artists  were  long  ago  satisfied  that 
the  Yanez  portrait  had  been  tampered  with  by 
some  audacious  restorer,  and  they  at  length   ob- 
tained permission  to  test  it  with  chemicals.     From 
side  to  side  of  the  upper  margin  of  the  picture 
there  ran  the  legend  "  Christof .     Columbus  nori 
(sic)    orh'is   inventor"     These  words  Avere  first 
subjected  to  the  artist's  test,  and  as  they  vanished, 
quite  another  inscription  came  out  beneath  them, 
namely,  these  words,  "  Colomb.  Lygur.  nooi  orbis 
reptor"  (sic).     The  variations  not  only  proved 
that  the  likeness  had  been  repainted,  but  that  the 
second  painter  was  inferior  to  the  first,  since  re- 
IJertor  means  to  find  by  seeking,  which  Inventor 
does  not.     The  testers  had  no  hesitation  about 
proceeding    further.       The   flowing   robe    with 
a  heavy  fur  collar,  as  they  said,  "  more  befitting  a 


aised  by 

I  nobler 

an  age 

Red  that 

with  by 

o;th   ob- 

From 

picture 
)us  norl 
ere  first 
vanished, 
th  them, 
ovi  orhis 
■f  proved 

that  the 
since  re- 
inventor 
an  about 
)be  with 
efitting  a 


COLVMliUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  106 

Muscovite  than  a  mariner,"  vanished,  while  a 
simple  garb,  only  a  closely  fitting  tunic,  and  a 
mantle  folded  across  the  breast,  rose  to  view. 
The  eyes,  nose,  lower  lip,  facial  oval,  all  jissumed 
a  new  expression.  The  air  of  monastic  sadness 
vanished.  Senor  Cubello  and  his  assistants,  who 
had  begun  this  work  nervously,  finished  it  with 
glad  surprise  when  they  beheld  the  great  dis- 
coverer throwing  off  the  disguises  that  had  been 
thrust  upon  him ;  and,  as  it  were,  emancipated 
from  the  chains  with  which  he  was  bound  in  his 
lifetime,  and  which  were  buried  in  his  co£&n. 

"  As  if  he  whom  the  asp 
In  its  marble  grasp, 
Kept  close  and  for  ages  strangled, 
Got  loose  from  the  hold 
Of  each  serpent  fold, 
And  exulted  disentangled." 

Carderara,  the  great  Spanish  authority  on  Co- 
lumbian portraits,  regrets  that,  while  sojourning 
at  the  Lake  of  Como,  he  had  neglected  to  search 
in  all  highways  and  byways  for  the  likeness  that 


1  no  VOL  UMli  VS  THE  XA  VIGA  TOIL 

stood  in  the  Museum  of  Giovio  there,  and  which 
may  be  .still  hirking  in  some  unsuspected  corner. 

But  some  Spanish  investigators  hold  that 
labors  in  this  direction  are  needless.  Senor  Rios  y 
Rios,  in  a  recent  Bulletin  of  the  Madrid  Academy, 
maintains  that  the  long-lost  and  much  desiderated 
Giovian  portrait — the  prototype  of  which  all  Co- 
lumbian likenesses  of  any  value  are  copies — has 
been  found  already.  He  holds  that  the  Yanez 
portrait  is  nothing-  less  than  that  Giovian  jewel. 
He  adduces  many  circumstances  Avhich  serve  to 
thicken  other  proofs  of  his  position.  Let  us  trust 
that  this  discovery  of  the  great  discoverer,  which 
Avas  as  unlooked  for  as  his  discovery  of  America, 
may  prove  as  indubitable. 

"  Columbus,"  says  Irving,  "  commenced  his 
nautical  career  when  about  fourteen  ytars  of  age. 
His  first  voyages  were  made  with  a  distant  relative 
named  Colombo,  a  hardy  veteran  of  the  seas,  who 
had  risen  to  some  distinction  by  his  bravery,  and 
is  occasionally  mentioned  in  old  chronicles  ;  some- 


I  which 
coiner, 
id  that 
■  Rios  y 
;ademy, 
derated 
all  Co- 
38 — has 
!  Yanez 
1  jewel, 
erve  to 
LIS  trust 
,  which 
merica, 

!ed  his 
of  age. 
relative 
IS,  who 
ry,  and 
;  some- 


COLVMnrS  THE  JfAVIOATOR. 


107 


times  as  cominiindino-  a  squadron  of  his  own,  some- 
times as  an  adnuial  in  the  Genoese  service.    He 
appears  to  have  been  bold  and  adventurous ;  ready 
to  fight  in  any  cause,  and  to  seek  quarrel  wherever 
it  might  lawfully  be  found.    The  seafaring  life 
of  the  Mediterranean,  in  those  days,  was  hazardous 
and  daring.     A  commercial  expedition  resembled 
a  warlike  cruise,  and  the  marithne  merchant  had 
often  to  fight  his  way  from  port  to  port.     Piracy 
was   almost   legalized.     The  frequent  feuds  be- 
tween   the   Italian    states ;   the  cruisings   of  the 
Catalonians ;  the  armadas  fitted  .out  by  private 
noblemen,  who  exercised  a  kind  of  sovereignty  in 
their  own   domains,   and   kept  petty  armies  and 
navies  in  their  pay  ;  the  roving  ships  and  squad- 
rons  of   private   adventurers,    a  kind  of   naval 
Condottieri,  sometimes  employed  by  hostile  govern- 
ments,   sometimes  scouring  the   seas   in  search 
of    lawless    booty;    these,   with    the  holy   wars 
waged  against   the  Mohammedan    powers,   ren- 
dered the  narrow  seas,  to  which  navigation  was 


108 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


principally  confined,  scenes  of  hardy  encountera 
a  -id  trying  reverses. 

"  Such  wass  the  rugged  school  in  which  Co- 
lumbus was  reared,  and  it  would  have  been  deeply 
interesting  to  have  marked  the  early  development 
of  his  genius  amidst  its  stern  adversities.  All 
this  instructive  era  of  his  history,  however,  is 
covered  with  darkness.  His  son  Fernando,  who 
could  have  best  elucidated  it,  has  left  it  in  ob- 
scurity, or  has  now  and  then  perplexed  us  with 
cross  lights  ;  perhaps  unwilling,  from  a  principle 
of  mistaken  pride,  to  reveal  the  indigence  and 
obscurity  from  which  his  father  so  gloriously 
emerged.  The  first  voyage  in  which  we  have  any 
account  of  his  being  engaged  was  a  naval  expedi- 
tion, fitted  out  in  Genoa  in  1459  by  John  of 
Anjou,  Duke  of  Calabria,  to  make  a  descent  upon 
Naples,  in  the  hope  of  recovering  that  kingdom 
for  his  father,  King  Reinier,  or  Ranato,  otherwise 
called  Rene,  Count  of  Provence.  The  republic 
of  Genoa  aided  him  with  ships  and  money.     The 


ountej'a 

ich  Co- 
deeply 
opment 
IS.  All 
ever,  is 
lo,  who 
;  in  ob- 
us  with 
rinciple 
ce  and 
ji'iously 
ave  any 
expedi- 
ohn  of 
it  upon 
ingdom 
herwise 
■epublic 
'.     The 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  109 

brilliant  nature  of  the  enterprise   attracted  the 
attention    of   daring   and   restless    spirits.     The 
chivalrous  nobleman,  the  soldier  of  fortune,  the 
hardy    corsair,    the    desperate     adventurer,    the 
mercenary  partisan,  all  hastened  to  enUst  under 
the  banner  of  Anjou.     The  veteran  Colombo  took 
a  part  in  tliis  expedition,  either  with  galleys  of 
his  own,  or  as  a  commander  of  the  Genoese  squad- 
ron, and  with  him  embarked  his  youthful  relative, 
the  future  discoverer.     The  struggle  of  John  of 
Anjou  for  the  crown  of  Naples  Listed  about  four 
years,  with  varied  fortune,  but  was  finally  un- 
successful.    The  naval  part  of  the  expedition,  in 
which  Columbus  was  engaged,  signalized  itself  by 
acts  of  intrepidity  ;  and  at  one  thne,  when  the 
Duke  was  reduced  to  take  refuge  in  the  island  of 
Ischia,   a    handful  of  galleys  scoured  and  con- 
trolled the  bay  of  Naples. 

"In  the  course  of  this  gallant  but  ill-fated 
enterprise,  Columbus  was  detached  on  a  perilous 
cruise,  to  cut  out  a  galley  from  the  harbor  of 


110 


(•O  L  UMli  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TO  R. 


Tunis.  This  is  incidentally  mentioned  by  him- 
self in  a  letter  written  many  years  afterwards. 
*  It  happened  to  me,'  he  says,  '  that  King  Reinier 
(whom  God  has  taken  to  himself )  sent  me  to  Tunis, 
to  capture  the  galley  Fernandina,  and  when  I 
arrived  off  the  island  of  St.  Pedro,  in  Sardinia,  I 
was  informed  that  there  were  two  ships  and  a  cai"- 
rack  with  the  galley ;  by  which  intelligence  my 
crew  were  so  troubled  that  they  determined  to 
proceed  no  further,  but  to  return  to  Marseilles 
for  another  vessel  and  more  people  ;  as  I  could 
not  by  any  means  compel  them,  I  assented  appar- 
ently to  their  Avishes,  altering  the  point  of  the 
compass  and  spreading  all  sail.  It  was  then  even- 
ing, and  next  morning  we  were  within  the  Cape 
of  Carthagena,  while  all  were  firmly  of  opinion 
that  they  were  sailing  towards  Marseilles.'  We 
have  no  further  record  of  this  bold  cruise  into  the 
harbor  of  Tunis ;  but  in  the  foregoing  particulars 
we  behold  early  indications  of  that  resolute  and 
persevering  spirit  which  insured  him  success  in 


i- 


tmM^'9U*''Vth,t 


COLITMBUS  THE  NAVRiATOli. 


Ill 


by  him- 
;rwards. 
Reinier 
t)  Tunis, 
when  I 
(linia,  I 
id  a  cai"- 
nce  my 
ined  to 
arseilles 
I  could 
I  appai- 
o£  the 
ju  even- 
lie  Cape 
opinion 
i.'  We 
into  the 
I'ticulars 
ate  and 
3cess  in 


his  more  importtint  undertakings.     His  expedient 
to  beiruile  a  discontented  crew  into  a  continuation 
of  the  enterprise,  by  deceiving  them  with  respect 
to  the  ship's  course,  will  bo  found  in  unison  with 
a  stratagem  of  altering  the  reckoning,  to  which 
he  had  recourse  in  his  first  voyage  of  discovery." 
We  have  no  re(!ord  of  the  precise  period  when 
the  thought  of  his  great  discovery  first  entered 
the  mind  of  Cidumbus.     Doubtless  it  was  not  of 
sudden  birth,  but   a   slow   growth,    arriving   at 
maturity  after  patient  incpiiry  and  research.     That 
he   made  himself  thoroughly  fi^miliar  with  the 
scanty  literature,  the  abundant  tradition,  and  the 
foolish  fears  surrounding  the  subject  of  a  west- 
ward voyage,  we  have  ample  evidence.     "  It  may 
be  a  question,"  says  Sir  Arthur  Helps,  "  whether 
this   impulse   soon  brougiit   him  to  his  utmost 
height  of  survey,  and  that  he  then  only  applied 
to  learning  to  confirm  his  first  views  ;  or  whether 
the  impulse  merely  carried  him  along  Avith  grow- 
ing perception  of  the  great  truth  he  was  to  prove, 


iimmmtmmm. 


11^  COL  UMIt  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOB. 

into  deep  thinking  upon  cosmographical  studies, 
the  recent  Portuguese  discoveries,  the   dreams  of 
learned  men,  the  labors  of  former  geographers,  the 
dim  prophetic  notices  of  great  unknown  lands,  and 
vague  reports  amongst  mariners  of  driftwood  seen 
on  the  seas.     But  at  any  rate  we  know  that  he 
arrived  at  a  fixed  conclusion  that  there  was  a  way 
hy  the  west  to  the  Indies ;  that  he  could  discover 
this  way,  and  so  come  to  Cipango,  Cathay,  the 
Grand  Khan,  and  all  he  had  met  with  in  the 
gorgeous  descriptions  of  Marco  Polo  and  other 
ancient  authorities.     We  may  not  pretend  to  lay 
down  the  exact  chronological  order  of  the  forma- 
tion of  the  idea  in  his  mind,  in  fact,  to  know  more 
about  it  than  he  would  probably  have  been  able 
to  tell  us  hiniself.     And  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  his  enterprise,  as  compared  with  that  of  the 
Portuguese  along  the  coast  of  Africa,  was  as  an 
invention  compared  to  an  improvement.      Each 
new  discovery,  then,  was  but  a  step  beyond  that 
which  had  preceded  it ;  Columbus  was  the  first 


I  1 


1  studies, 
reams 
)hei's,  the 
iands,  and 
ivood  seeu 
v^  that  he 
was  a  way 
1  discover 
thay,  the 
th  in  the 
and  other 
iud  to  lay 
the  f  ornia- 
cnow  more 
been  able 
!  forgotten 
liat  of  the 
was  as  an 
nt.     Each 
jyond  that 
IS  the  first 


COLVMIWS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  Hi 

to  steer  boldly  from  shore  into  the  waste  of  waters, 
—an  originator,  not  a  mere  improver.     Fernando 
Columbus  divides  into  three  classes  the  grounds 
on  which  his  father's  theory  was  based ;  namely, 
reasons  from  nature,  the  authority  of  writers,  and 
the  testimony  of  sailors,  f    He  believed  the  world 
to  be  a  sphere ;  he  under-estimated  its  size ;   he 
over-estimated  the  size  of  the  Asiatic  continent. 
The  farther  that  continent  extended  to  the  east- 
ward the  nearer  it  came  round  towards  Spain. 
And   this,  in   greater  or  less  degree,  had  been 
the  opinion  of  the  ancient  geographers.      Both 
Aristotle  and  Seneca  thought  that  a  ship  might 
sail "  in  a  few  days  "  from  Cadiz  to  India.     Strabo, 
too,  believed  that  it  might  be  possible  to  navigate 
oa  the  same  parallel  of  latitude,  due  west  from 
the  coast  of  Africa  or  Spain  to  that  of  India. 
The  accounts  given  by  Marco  Polo  and  Sir  John 
Mandeville  of  their  explorations  towards  China 
confirmed  the  exaggerated  idea  of  the  extent  of 
Eastern  Asia. 


( 


114  COL  uMn  rs  the  am  viga  tor. 

"  It  appears,"  says  Laing,  "  from  the  Memoir 
of  Columbus  by  his  son  Fernan(h),  that  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1477,  his  father  visited   Tyle   (Thule)  or 
Friesland,  '  an  ishiud  as  large  as  England,  with 
which  the  English,   especially  those  of  Bristol, 
drive  a  great  trade.'     It  is  a  curious  coincidence 
that  he  mentions  he  came  to  the   island  without 
meeting  any  ice,  and  the  sea  Avas  not  frozen  ;  and 
in  an  authentic   document  of  March  in   the  same 
year,   1477,  it  is  mentioned  as  a  kind  of  testi- 
mony of  the  act  of  which  the   document  is  the 
protocol,  that  there  was  no  snow  whatever  upon 
the  groiuul  at  the  date  it  was  executed, — a  rare 
circumstance,  by  which  it  would  be  held  in   re- 
membrance.    In  the  year  1477,  Magnus  Eyolf- 
son  was  bishop  of  Skalholt ;  he  had  been  abbot 
of   the   monastery   at    lielgafel,   where    the   old 
accounts     concerning    Vinland    and     Greenland 
were,  it  is  supposed,  originally  written  and  pre- 
served, and  the  discoverers  were  people  originally 
from   that   neighborhood.      Columbus   came   in 


Memoir 

in  Feb- 
liule)  or 
1(1,  with 

Bristol, 
iicidence 

without 
:en  ;  and 
^he  same 
of  testi- 
t  is  the 
er  upon 
— a  rare 
hi  in  re- 
s  Eyolf- 
Mi  abbot 

the  old 
reenland 
and  pre- 
(riginally 
came  in 


COLUMBUS  rilE  NAVIGATOR. 


115 


spring  to  the  south  end  of  Iceland,  where  Whale- 
fiord  was  the  usual  harbor  ;  and  it  is  known  that 
Bishop  Magnus,  exactly  in  the  spring  of  that 
year,  Avas  on  a  visitation  in  that  part  of  his  see, 
and  it  is  to  be  presumed  Columbus  must  have 
met  and  conversed  with  him.  These  are  curious 
coincidences  of  small  circumstances,  a'  hich  have 
their  weight." 

As  there  were  certainly  Europeans  in  America 
before  the  time  of  Columbus,  which  we  think  has 
been  proved  in  an  earlier  chapter,  we  may  pause 
here  to  ask  how  far  Columbus  or  his  companions 
profited  by  the  knowledge  of  these  past  events 
which  undoubtedly  existed. 

"  More  than  eight  hundred  years  ago,  and 
consequently  nearly  six  bundled  years  before 
the  Puritan  Pilgrims  set  foot  on  Plymouth 
Rock,  the  Catholic  Church  had  a  bishop  there, 
and  a  martyr,  too,  for  the  saintly  prelate  fell  a 
victim  to  zeal  and  charity  beneath  the  deadly 
arrows  of  those  for  whom  he  was  endeavoring  to 


no  COLUMIil'H  THE  yAVKlATon. 

open  the  gates  of  heaven.  The  first  birth  from 
CathoHc  parents,  and  therefore  the  first  baptism 
in  America,  was  that  of  Snorre,  who  was  born  in 
1000,  of  Thorfinn  and  Gn(Uida,  on  the  western 
shore  of  Mt.  H<  pe  Bay,  in  Bristol  County, 
Rhode  Isknd.  His  family  returned  to  Iceland, 
and  thence,  after  the  death  of  her  son,  Gudrida 
went  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  and  gave  the 
then  Pope  tidings  of  his  people  in  far-off 
America.  A  historian,  who  records  the  fact, 
writes  :  '  Rome  lent  a  ready  ear  to  accounts  of 
o*eographical  discoveries,  and  collected  facts  and 
narratives.  Every  discovery  seemed  an  extension 
of  Papal  dominion  and  a  new  field  for  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel.'  " 

In  a  recent  magazine  article,  entitled  "  America 
Discovered  and  Christianized  by  the  Northmen," 
by  R.  H.  Clarke,  the  author  discusses  at  length 
this  interesting  theme,  from  which  we  condense 
as  follows : 

"  The    Northmen,    wandering    fragments    of 


rth  from 

baptism 

;  born  in 

western 

County, 

Iceland, 

Gudricla 

^ave  the 

I    fai'-off 

;he   fact, 

counts  of 

acts  and 

extension 

e  preach- 

America 
rthmen," 
it  length 
condense 

nents    of 


coLrMBUs  Tilt:  yAyidATon.  117 

Asiatic  tribes,  after  traversiiio-  Europe,  found  a 
home  and  founded  a  nation  in  Norway  only  when 
the   sea    arrested    their   progress.      Here    they 
achieved  a  permanent  coiuiuest  and  founded  the 
mother  country,  from  whose  sea-indented  shores 
proceeded  so  many  expeditions  preoiuint  with  the 
fate  of  nations.     In  8G0,  Naddod,  a  Norwegian 
pirate,  on  his  voyage  to  the  Faroes,  was  carried 
far  out  of  his  course  by  a  tempest,  and  this  acci- 
dent led  to  his  discovery  of  Iceland,  the  '  Ultima 
Thide'of  the  ancients.     This  ice  clad  island  be- 
came a  colony  of  tlie  mother  country.     About  the 
year  i)00,  RoUo  made  the  conquest  of  Normandy. 
In  10()0  we  find  a  Norman  prince  estiiblished  in 
Apulia.     In    10(30   William   the    Conqueror   be- 
comes  the   master   and   king   of   England,   and 
founds  the  present  dynasty  of  Great  Britain.     It 
will  thus  be  seen  that  the  Northmen  were  at  the 
height  of  their  power  and   activity  when  they 
discovered  and  colonized  portions  of  the  western 
continent   in   the   tenth   century.     The   learned 


118 


COLUMB US  THE  NA VK! A 70 /?. 


geographers   and   skillful   critics,  who   have   re- 
viewed all  these  circumstances,  have  decided  that 
the   first    land    discovered   was   Nantucket,    one 
degree  south  of  Boston  ;  the  second  Nova  Scotia; 
the  third  Newfoundland.     The  observations  made 
of  the  country  and  climate  accord  with  wonderful 
accuracy  in  locating  Vinland  the  Good,  or  the 
Northmen,  in  the  region   near  Nfc\;port,   Rhode 
Island.     This  expedition  of  Leif  Eirieson  Avas  re- 
oarded  as  the  most  fortunate  of  all,  for  he  had 
discovered  Vinland  the  Good,  had  rescued  five  of 
his  countrymen  from  death  at  sea,  and  had  intro- 
duced Christianity  in<:o  Greenland.     The  ecclesi- 
astics who  accompanied  the  expedition  were  the 
first   Christian    priests    in    that   early   age   that 
visited  America.     They  were  also  the  pastors  of 
the  church   of  Greenland,  which  flourished  for 
several  centuries.     The  remains   of  the  temples 
are  now  visited  by  adventurous  tourists  and  are 
familiar  to  the  Moravian  missionaries  of  Green- 
land. "'  Leif  Ericson  was  thus  the  first  discoverer 


have   re- 
ided  that 
ket,    one 
a  Scotia ; 
ons  made 
wonderful 
I,  or  the 
t,  Rhode 
1  Avas  re- 
r  he  had 
id  five  of 
lad  iiitro- 
e  ecclesi- 
were  the 
age   tliat 
astors  of 
ished  for 
}  temples 
3  and  are 
af  Green- 
iiscoverer 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVKiATOR.  lid 

of  our  country.     Tliere  are  a  number  of  circum- 
stances strongly  tending  to  show  that  Columbus 
knew  scmiething  of  these  events.     His  long  and 
thorough  study  of  the  subject  in  all  its  aspects 
must  have  guided  his  mind  to  this  information. 
The  absolute  certainty  he  prt)fessed  to  have  that 
he  could  discover  land  in  the  West  could  not 
have   rested   upon   theory   alone  ;  it   must  have 
been  based  upon  information  of  facts  also.     He 
himself  says  that  he  based  his  certainty  upon  the 
authority  of  learned  writers.      The  visit  of  Co- 
lumbus to  Iceland,  brought  him  into  immediate 
contact  with  the  traditions  and  Avritten  accounts 
in  relation  to  the  Norse  discoveries  in  the  Western 
continent.     He  is  believed  to  have  conversed  with 
the  bishop  and  other  learned  men  of  Iceland,  and 
as  his  visit  there  was  fifteen  years  before  he  dis- 
covered America,  and  less   than    two   centuries 
after  the  last  Norse  expedition  to  the  lands  in  the 
Western   ocean,   he   must  have   met   Icelanders 
whose  grandfathers  lived  in  the  time  of  that  ex- 


120 


<<)UMIirs  THE  SAVKiATOH. 


pedition,  and  i)erhaps  were  members  of  it.     It  is 
unlikely  that  Columbus  could  have  been  so  active 
in  his  researches  for  geoj^raphicai   and  nautical 
information  as  all  his  biographers  represent,  and 
yet  have  been  in  the  midst  of  so  much  informa- 
tion on  these  subjects  without  coming-  in  contact 
with  it.     Rome  was  represer.  ted  in  the  Western 
hemisphere  by  a  succession   of  seventeen  bishops, 
and  one  of  them.  Bishop  Eric  Upsi,  became  the 
apostle  of  Vinland  in  the  twelfth  century,  a  fact 
which  indicates  a  permanent  settlement  of  North- 
men in  Rhode  Island.     Columbus  never  divulged 
to  the  public  the   extent    of  his  knowledge    of 
facts  pointing  to  lands   in  the  Western   ocean. 
At  Rome  also  he  must  have  heard  of  the  Norse 
expeditions   to   Greenland   and   Vinland.     It   is 
also  argued  that,  as  Pope  Paschal  II.,  in  the  year 
1121,  appointed  Eric   Upsi  bishop  of  Garda  in 
Greenland,  and  the  bishop  visited  Vinland,  as 
part  of  his  spiritual  domain,  Columbus,  in  search 
of  such  knowledge,  must  have  found  it  where  it 


it.     It 


IS 


so  active 
.  nautical 
;sent,  and 

informa- 
in  contact 
;  Western 
II  bishops, 
icame  the 
iry,  a  fact 

of  Noith- 
i"  divulged 
ivledii'e  of 
(rn   ocean. 

the  Norse 
id.  It  is 
n  the  year 

Garda  in 
inland,  as 
1,  in  search 
it  where  it 


COL  UMB  us  TUE  NA  VIGA  TOR.  121 

was  most  accessible,  namely,  in  the  Papal  archives. 
There  is  also  some  ground  for  believing,  though 
the  fact  is  not  established,  that  a  map  of  V inland 
was  preserved  in  the  Vatican,  and  that  a  copy  of 
it  was  furnished  to  the  Pinzons.  Facts  such  as 
these  must  have  formed  a  considerable  part  of 
the  knowledge  acquired  by  Columbus  m  liis  many 
years  of  study." 

But,  as  Mr.  Justin  Winsor  points  out,  in  his 
recent  life  of  Columbus,  the  Norsemen  regarded 
Vinland  as  simply  a  continuation  of  Greenland  ; 
they  had  not  the  faintest  conception  that  it  ^^as 
part  of  a  new  continent ;  and  he  further  urges  that 
had  Columbus  proposed  to  profit  by  the  Norse  dis- 
coveries, or  had  he  supposed  Vinland  to  be  Cathay, 
he  woidd  scarcely  have  steered  southwest  across 
the  Atlantic.  Some  say  that  he  was  sent  to  Ice- 
land by  the  Holy  See. 

« It  has  been  sufficiently  demonstrated,"  says 
Mrs.  Shipley,  "  that  the  heads  of  the  Church  in 
Rome  knew  of  the  Icelandic  discovery  of  America 


122 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


at  the  time,  the  date  of  the  discovery,  the  year 
1000,  having  been  the  exact  date  of  the  convei- 
sion  of  the  entire  Scandinavian  north  to  Christ- 
ianity, and  that  the  Catholic  Church,  the  only 
Church  then,  was  quick  to  profit  by  this  discovery 
and  estabhsh  its  own  institutions  in  the  new 
colonies  across  the  ocean.  Rome  being  possessed 
of  these  facts,  Columbus,  a  devoted  son  of  the 
Church,  could  not  have  failed  to  be  acquainted 
with  them  also." 

The  famous  French  geographer,  Malte-Brun, 
states  in  his  "  History  of  Geography  "  that 
"  Columbus,  when  in  Italy,  had  heard  of  the  Norse 
discoveries  beyond  Iceland,  for  Rome  was  then 
the  world's  center,  and  all  information  of  impor- 
tance was  sent  there." 

It  may  be  asked,  Why  did  not  the  Church  at 
once  turn  this  discovery  to  account,  instead  of 
keeping  the  knowledge  secret  for  so  many  hundred 
years  ?  This  query  has  been  aptly  answered  by 
Mr.  Addison  Child,  in  an  article   in  the  Boston 


the  year 
e  convei- 
bo  Christ- 
tlie  only 
discovery 
the  new 
possessed 
)n  of  the 
cquainted 

ilte-Brun, 
ly  "  that 
the  Norse 
was  then 
of  impor- 

I!hnrch  at 
instead  of 
^  hundred 
jwered  by 
le  Boston 


COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVIGATOR.  128 

Transcript,  wherein  he  says  that  "the  reason 
that  these  and  probably  earher  discoveries  were 
not  more  noticed  and  utilized  was  that  the  need 
of  another  continent  to  conquer  and  colonize  had 
not  arisen  and  did  not  arise  until  nearly  the  end 
of  the  fifteenth  century,"  when  Lutheranism  and 
the  Reformation  bade  fair  to  jeopardize  the  sway 
of  Rome  in  Europe,  and  made  the  Papacy  look 
with  longing  eyes  toward  the  virgin  contment 
lying  beyond  the  veil  of  the   forgetfulness   of 

mankind. 

Reliffious  enthusiasm,  as  we  shall  see,  had  a 
large  share  in  Columbus's  gigantic  scheme,  and  it 
is  extremely  probable,  as  has  been  pointed  out, 
that  his  motive  and  "  the  motive  of  all  his  ecclesi- 
astical patrons,  Juan  Perez,  Deza,  the  Cardinal 
Mendoza,  Luis  de  St.  Angel,  and  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella,  was  simply  and  solely  Papal  aggrandize- 
ment, the  gaining  of  vast  new  territory  for  pro- 
selyting purposes." 

It  is  even  possible  that  the  continent  of  America 


124 


VOLUMIWS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


V"»".  seen  four  years  before  Columbus  sailed  from 
Palos!  Says  Mr.  J.  B.  Shipley,  in  a  recent  pamph- 
let : 

"Jean  Cousin,  in  1488,  sailed  from  Dieppe, 
then  the  great  eonunercial  and  naval  port  of 
France,  and  bore  out  to  sea,  to  avoid  the  storms 
80  prevalent  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay.  Arrived  at 
the  latitude  of  the  Azores,  he  was  carried  west- 
ward by  a  current  and  came  to  an  unknown 
country,  near  the  mouth  of  an  humense  river. 
He  took  possession  of  the  continent,  but  as  he 
had  not  a  sufficient  crew  nor  material  resources 
adequate  for  founding  a  settlement,  he  re- 
embarked.  Instead  of  returning  directly  to 
Dieppe  he  t()ol<  a  southeasterly  direction — that  is, 
toward  South  Africa — discovered  the  cape  which 
has  since  retained  the  name  of  Cape  Agulhas, 
the  southern  point  of  Africa,  went  north  by  the 
Congo  and  Guinea,  and  returned  to  Dieppe  in 
1489.  Cousin's  lieutenant  was  a  Castilian,  Pinzon 
by  name,  who  was  jealous  of  his  captain,  and 


led  from 
t  pamph- 

Dieppe, 
port  of 
e  storms 
•rived  at 
ed  west- 
Linknown 
se  river, 
mt  as  he 
resources 
he  re- 
ectly  to 
— that  is, 
pe  which 
Agulhas, 
h  by  the 
)ieppe  in 
11,  Pinzon 
tain,  and 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  126 

caused   him   considerable   trouble   on   the   Gold 
Coast.     On   Cousin's  complaint,   the    Admiralty 
declared  lum  xuifit  to   serve   in   the   marine   of 
Dieppe.     Pinzon  then  retired  to  Genoa,  and  after- 
ward   to    Castile.      Every    circumstance     tends 
toward  the  belief  that  this  is  the  same  Pinzon  to 
whom  Columbus  afterward  intrusted   the    com- 
mand of  the  Pinta,"  and  who,  as  we  shaU  see, 
deserted   his   commander   to   go   off  on   an   in- 
dependent  chase   after  the  wealth  of  the   "In- 
dies." 

Not  without  reason,  then,  has  it  been  urged 
that  the  i)roposed  Columbian  Exhibition  of  1892 
or  1803,  can  in  no  sense  commemorate  the  dis- 
covery of  America,  but  only  the  splendid  personal 
achieven!  Mit  of  Columbus  in  so  far  as  he  was  the 
fitting  hero  chosen  to  restore  to  the  world  the 
jewel  that  had  been  lost  or  forgotten.     It  would 
seem  that  this  country,  a  century  hence,  in  1985, 
will  have  a  far  grander  event  to  commemorate, 
namely,  the  one  thousandth  anniversary  of  the 


in 


126  <^0^  UMli  us  THE  NA  VIGA TOR. 

discovery  of  North  America  by  Lelf  Ericson  ! 
But  it  should  be  noted  that,  even  if  Cohimbus 
was  familiar  with  the  misty  accounts  of  the  Norse 
voyages  to  the  North,  he  showed  his  independence 
thereof  by  marking  out  a  course  due  west  and 
far  to  the  southward. 

Coliunbus  arrived  at  Lisbon  about  the  year 
1470,  and  found  the  kingdom  in  fidl  ferment 
over  the  maritime  discoveries  of  Prince  John. 
There  he  was  married  to  Donna  Felipa  Perestrella, 
a  daughter  of  one  of  Prince  Henry's  sea-captains, 
the  o-overnor  of  the  Island  of  Porto  Santo,  and 
who  was  the  mother  of  his  son,  Diego. 

On  the  island  above  mentioned  Columbus 
settled  down  after  his  marriage,  earning  his  living 
as  a  map-nuiker.  He  was  thus  directly  in  the 
marine  road  to  the  Guinea  Coast,  and  in  constant 
communication  with  the  hardy  explorers  of  the 
coasts  of  the  great  southern  continent. 

The  first  inkling  we  get  of  his  great  design  is 
through  an  abortive  attempt  to  get  the  Senate  of 


■«r 


Evicson  ! 
!^ol  ambus 
the  Norse 
ipendenee 
west  and 


the  year 
ferment 


ice 


John. 


erestrella, 
i-captalns, 
ianto,  and 

Columbus 
his  living 
;ly  in  the 
1  constant 
rs  of  the 

;  design  is 
Senate  of 


COL  I  MIS  us  THE  NA  Via  A  TOIL  127 

Genoa  to  listen  to  his  scheme.     He  seems  to  have 
felt  that  from  Portugal  he  need  expect  no  aid. 
She   was  not    only  embroiled    in   costly  foreign 
wars,  but  had  already  marked  out  for  her  naviga- 
tors a  route  aiul  an  empire  to  the  eastward  which 
she  Avould  have  been   very  foohsh  to  abandon. 
But  Cobuubus  did  not  neglect  to  lay  his  plans 
before  King  John.     The  monarch  seems  to  have 
listened  with  thoughtful  attention,  gave  a  cautious 
promise  of  support,  but  first  referred  the  matter 
to  a  committee,  whose  report  was  flatly  adverse. 
The  king,  however,  was  not  (piite  satisfied  at  their 
decision,  and  one  of  his  advisers,  the  Bishop  of 
Ceuta,  suggesting   that  a    caravel   be    stealthily 
etpiipped  and  sent  out  with  orders  based  on  the 
scheme  submitted  by  Columbus,  the  king  gave 
his  consent,  "  and  this  piece  of  episcopal  bad  faith 
was  actually  perpetrated.     The  caravel,  however, 
returned  without  having  accomplished  anything, 
the  sailors  not  having  had  heart  to  adventure  far 
enough  westward.     It  was  not  an  enterprise  to  be 


M^'iaiWiiiMl 


128  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

carried  out  successfully  by  men  who  had  only 
stolen  the  idea  of  it." 

Enraged  at  this  piece   of   trickery,  Columbus 
quitted  Portugal  with  his  little  son  Diego,  Donna 
Felipa  having  died  a  few  years  before.     This  was 
in  1485.     Entering  Spain  he  laid  his  project  be- 
fore two  grandees,  the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia 
and  the  Duke  of  Medina-Celi.     Both  seem  to  have 
been  dazzled  by  the  enthusiast's  arguments,  and 
the  latter  maintiiined  him  for  two  years  in  his 
palace,  but  neither  of  them  was  sufficiently  powei- 
ful  to  inulertake  so  weighty  an  undertaking  with- 
out royal  sanction.     So,  two  years  having  been 
frittered  away,  Medina-Celi  addressed  a  letter  to 
the  Spanish  queen,  which  Columbus  carried  to 
the  court  in  person. 

And  now  ensued  a  weary  time  of  waiting  for    , 
the  man  whose  heart  and  head  were  bursting  with 
desire  to  put  this   great  idea  to  the  test.     "  The 
juncture  was  singularly  inopportune  for  the  con- 
sideration   of    any  peaceful    project.      The    war 


had  only 

Columbus 
;o,  Donna 
This  was 
iroject  1)6- 
la-Siclonia 
sni  to  have 
iients,  and 
ars  in  his 
itly  powei- 
kin^  with- 
ving  been 
a  letter  to 
tarried  to 

t'aiting  for 
rsting  with 
St.  "  The 
or  the  con- 
The   war 


COLUMBUS  THE  yAVIGATOR.  120 

with  the  Moors  was  raging  more  and  more  furiously, 
as  they  were  driven  back,  contesting  every  inch 
of  ground,  farther  and  farther  from  the  heart  of 
the  kingdom.     The  Spanish  court  was  at  Cindova, 
actively  preparing  for  the  campaign  which  was  to 
residt  in  that  subjugation  of  the  Crescent  to  the 
Cross  throughout  the  Peninsula,  which  was  com- 
pleted by  the  conquest  of  Granada  some  six  years 
later.     Amid  the  claug  of  arms  and  the  bustle  of 
warlike  preparation  Columbus  was  not  likely  to 
.  obtain  more  than  a  slight  and  superficial  attention 
to  a  matter  which  nuist  have  seemed  remote  and 
uncertain.     Indeed,  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
most  pressing  internal  affairs  of   kingdoms  aie 
neglected  by  the  wisest  rulers  in  times  of  war,  it 
is  wonderful  that  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  any 
audience   at   all.      However,   he   was   fortunate 
enough  to  find  at  once  a  friend  in  the  treasurer 
of  the  household,  Alonso  de  Quintanilla,  a  man 
who,  like  himself,  Hook  delight  in  great  thing  i,' 
and  who  obtained  a  hearing  for  him  from  the 


130  COLUMBUS  rilK  XAVIGATOH. 

Spanish  luomurhs.     Ferdinand  and  Isabella  did 
not  dismiss  him  abruptly.     On  the  contrary,  it  is 
said,    they   listened  kindly;  and  the  conference 
ended  by  their  referring- the  business  to  the  queen's 
Confessor,  Fra  Hernando  de  Talavera,  who  was 
afterwards    Archbishop   of   Granada.     This   im- 
portant fuiictit)nary  summoned  a  junta  of  cosmog- 
raphers  (not  a  promising  assemblage ! )  to  consult 
jibout  tho  affair,  and  this  juutii  was  convened  at 
Salamanca,  in  the  summer  of  the  year  1 487 .     Here 
was  a  step    gained;  the  cosmographers  were  to 
consider  his  scheme,  and  not  merely  to  consider 
whether  it  was  woi-th  taking  into  consideration. 
But  it  was  impossible  for  the  jury  to  be  unpreju- 
diced.    All  inventors,  to  a  certain  exti-nt,  insidt 
their  contemporaries  by  accusing  them  of  stupidity 
and   of   ignorance.     And   these  cosmographical 
pedants,  accustomed  to  beaten  tracks,  resented 
the  insult  by  which  this  adventurer  was  attempting 
to   overthrow   the   belief    of    centuries.      They 
thought  that  so  many  persons  wise  in   nautical 


bella  did 
ary,  it  is 
nference 
!  queen's 
who  was 
riiis  im- 
cosmog- 

0  consult 
vened  at 
7.    Here 

were  to 

consider 
ideration. 
!  uni)reju- 
■nt,  insult 

stupidity 
igraphical 

resented 
ttempting 
s.      They 

1  nautical 


COLUMBirs  TllK  SAVIGATOU. 


131 


matters  as  had   preceded   the   Genoese   mariner 
never  could  have  overlooked  such  an  idea  as  this 
which  had  presented  itself  to  his  mind.    Moreover, 
as  the  learning  of  the   Middle   Ages  resided  for 
the   most  part  in    the   cloister,  the  memhers  of 
the  junta  were  principally  clerical,  and  combmed 
to  crush   Columbus  with  theological  objections. 
Texts  of  Scripture  were  adduced  to  refute  hi^ 
theory  of  the  spherical  shape  of  the  earth,  and  the 
weighty  authority  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church 
was  added  to  overthrow  the  '  foolish  idea  of  the 
existence   of    antipodes;   of   people   who   walk, 
opposite  to  us,  with  their  heels  upward  and  their 
heads  hanging  down  ;  where  everything  is  toi)sy- 
turvy,  where  the  trees  grow  with  their  branches 
downward,  and  where  it  rains,   hails,   and  snows 
upward.'     King  David,  St.  Paul,  St.  Augustine, 
Lactantius,    and   a    host   of    other     theological 
authorities  were  all  put  in  evidence  against  the 
Genoese  mariner  ;  he  was  confronted  by  the  '  con- 
servatism of   lawyers  united  to  the  bigotry  of 


1S2 


rOLVMItrfi  TlfK  NAVTGATOU. 


1  '; 


priests.'     Lsvs  Casiis  displays  his  usual  acuteness 
when  he  says  that  the  ^reiit  diffieulty  of  Columbus 
was,  not  that  of  teaching,  but  that  of  unteaching ; 
not  of  promulgating  his  own  theory,  but  of  eradi- 
cating the  erroneous  convictions  of  the  judges 
before  whom  he  had  to  plead  his  cause.     In  fine, 
the  junta  decided  that  the  project  was  '  vain  and 
Impossible,  and   that   it  did  not   belong   to  the 
majesty  of  such  great  i>rinces  to  determine  any- 
thing upon  such  weak  grounds  of  information.' 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella  seem  not  to  have  taken 
the    extremely  unfavorable  view  of  the  matter 
entertained  by  the  junta  of  cosmographers,  or  at 
least  to  have  been  wilUng  to  dismiss  Columbus 
gently,  for  they  merely  said  that,  with  the  wars 
at  present  on  their  hands,  and  especially  that  of 
Granada,  they  could  not  undertake  any  new  ex- 
penses, but  when  that  war  was  ended,  they  would 
examuie  his  plan  more  carefully. 

"  Thus  terminated  a  solicitation  at  the  court  of 
ii'erdinand  and  Isabella,  which,  according  to  some 


'^•MtalMti 


cuteness 
olumbiis 
?aching ; 
of  eradi- 
»  judges 

In  fine, 
vain  and 
>■  to  the 
line  any- 
I'mation.' 
ve  taken 
s  matter 
ers,  or  at 
/olumbus 
the  wars 
y  tliat  of 

new  ex- 
ey  would 

>  court  of 


r  to  some 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIUATOU. 


las 


authorities,  lasted  five  years  ;  for  the  facts  above 
mentioned,  though  short  in   narration,   occupied 
no  little  time  in  transaction.     During  the  whole 
of  this  period,  Columbus  appears  to  have  followed 
the  sovereigns  in  the  movements  which  the  war 
necessitated,  and  to  have  been  treated  by  them 
with  much  consideration.     Sums  were  from  time 
to  time  granted  from  the  royal  treasury  for  his 
private  expenses,  and  he  was  billeted  as  a  public 
functionary  in  the  various  towns  of   Andalusia 
where  the  court  rested.     But  his  must  have  been 
a  very  xip-hill  task.      I^is  Casas,  who,  from  an 
experience  larger  even  than  that  Avhich  fell  to  the 
lot  of  Columbus,  knew  what  it  was  to  endure  the 
cold  and  indolent  neglect  of  superficial  men  in 
small  authority,    and   all  the   vast  delay,  which 
cannot  be  comprehended   except  by  those  who 
have  suffered  under  it,  that  belongs  to  the  trans- 
action of  any  affair  in  which  many  persons  have 
to   co-operate,  compares   the  suit   of  Columbus 
to  a  battle,  '  a  terrible,  continuous,  painful,  prolix 


1 


1 


m 


COL  UMB  US  Til  E  NA  VIGA  TOR.  186 

battle.'     The  tide  of  this  long  war  (for  war  it 
was,  rather  than  a  battle)  having  turned  against 
him,  Columbus  left  the  court,  and  went  to  Seville 
'  with  much  sadness  and  discomfiture.'     During 
this  dreary  period  of  a  suitor's  life— which,  how- 
ever, has  been  endured  by  some  of  the  greatest 
men  the  world  has  seen,  which  was  well  known 
by    close   observation,    or    bitter   experience,    to 
Spenser,  Camiiens,  Cervantes,  Shakespeare,  Bacon 
—one  joy  at  least  was  not  untastedby  Columbus, 
namely,   that   of   love.      His   beloved   Beatrice, 
whom  he  first  met  at  Cordova,  must  have  believed 
in  him,  even  if  no  one  else  had  done  so ;  but  love 
was  not  suflicient  to  retain   at   her  side  a  man 
goaded  by  a  great  idea,  or  perhaps  that  love  did 
but  impel  him  to  still  greater  efforts  for  her  sake, 
as  is  the  way  with  lovers  of  the  nobler  sort. 

"  Other  friends,  too,  shared  his  enthusiasm,  and 
uro-ed  him  onward.  Juan  Perez  de  la  Marchena, 
guardian  of  the  monastery  of  La  Rabida,  in  An- 
dalusia, had  been  the  confessor  of  Queen  Isabella, 


180  COLUMBUS  THE  yAVIGATOH. 

but  had  exchanged  the  bustle  of  the  court  for 
the  learned  leisure  of  the  cloister.     The  little  town 
of  Palos,  with  its  seafaring  population  and  niari- 
tune  interests,  was  near  the  monastery,  and  the 
principal  men  of  ihe  place  were  glad  to  pass  the 
long  winter  evenings  in  the  society  of  Juan  Perez, 
discussing  questions  of  cosmograjdiy  and  astron- 
omy.    Among  these  visitors  were  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon,  the  chief  ship-owner  of  Palos,  and  Garcia 
Hernandez,  the  village  doctor  ;  and  one  can  fancy 
how  the  schemes  of  Columbus  must  have  appeared 
to  the  little  conclave  as  a  ray  of  sunlight  in  the 
du'ness  of  their  simple  life.      Hernandez,   espe- 
cially, who  seems  to  have  been  somewhat  skilled  ni 
physical  science,  and  therefore  capable  of  appre- 
ciating the  arguments   of  Columbus,  became   a 
warm  believer  in  his  project.     It  is  worthy  of 
notice  that  a  person  who  appears  only  once,  as  it 
were,  in  a  sentence  in  history,  should  have  ex- 
ercised so  much  influence  upon  it  as  Garcia  Her- 
nandez, who  was  probably  a  man  of  far  superior 


•ourt  for 
ttle  town 
md  mari- 
,  and  the 
pass  the 
an  Perez, 
id  asti'on- 
in  Alonzo 
lid  Garcia 
can  fancy 
appeared 
ht  in  the 
lez,   espe- 
skilled  in 
of  appre- 
became   a 
worthy  of 
once,  as  it 
I  have  ex- 
arcia  Her- 
1,1'  superior 


con  UMU  US  TIJE  NA  VWA  TOR.  1:17 

attainments  to  those  around  him,  and  was  in  the 
habit  of  depk)ring,  as  such  men  do,  his  hard  k)t 
in  being  plaited  where  he  eoukl  be  so  Uttle  under- 
stood.    Now,  however,  he  was  to  do  more  at  one 
stroke  than  many  a  man  who  has  been  all  his  days 
before  the  world.     Columbus  had  abandoned  his 
suit  at  court  in   disgust,  uul  had  arrived  at  the 
monastery  before  quitting  Spain  to  fetch  his  son 
Diego,  whom  he  had  left  with  Juan  Perez  to  be 
educated.     All  his  griefs  and  struggles  he  con- 
fided to  Perez,  who  could  not  bear  to  hear  of 
his  intention  to  leave  the  country  for  France  or 
England,  and  to  make  a  foreign  nation  greater 
by  allowing  it  to  adopt  his  project.     The  three 
friends— the  monk,  the  learned  physician,  and 
the  skilled  cosmographer— discussed  together  the 
proposition   so   unhappily  familiar   to   the   last- 
named  member  of  their  council.     The  affection 
of  Juan   Perez  and  the  learning  of  Hernandez 
were  not  slow  to  follow  in  the  track  which  the 
enthusiasm  of   the  great  adventurer  made  out 


I 


13S  coLUMnrs  THE  yAVKiATOU. 

before  them;    and  they  became,   no  doubt,  as 
convinced  as  Cohuubus  himself  of  the  feasiblhty 
of   his    iindeitakini.-.       The    difficuky,    however, 
was  not  in  becominj^  beUevers  themselves,  but  in 
persuading-  those  to  believe  who  would  have  power 
to  further  the  <  nterprise.     Their  discussions  upon 
this  point    ended  in    the   conclusion    that  Juan 
Perez,    who    was  known    to    the   (pieen,  having 
acted  as   her  confessor,  should  write  to  her  high- 
ness,    lie  did  so ;  and  the  result  was  favorable. 
The  (pieen   sent  for  him,  heard  what  he  had  to 
say,  and  in  conseipience  remitted  money  to  Co- 
lumbus lo  enable  him  to  come  to  court  and  renew 
his  stiit.     He  attended  the  court  again  ;  his  nego- 
tiations were  resumed,  but  were  again  bioken  off 
on  the  ground  of  the  largeness  of  the  conditions 
which  he  asked  for.     His  opponents    said  that 
these  conditions  were  too  large  if  he  succeeded, 
and  if  he  should  not  succeed  and  the  conditions 
should  come  to  nothing,  they  thought  that  there 
was  an  air  of  trilling  in  granting  such  conditions 


iOlAMlliS  Tin:  SAVKiMon. 


VM 


doubt,  as 
feasibility 
however, 
es,  but  in 
live  power 
iious  upon 
that  Juan 
n,  having 
her  high- 
favorable. 
lie  had  to 
ley  to  Co- 
and  renew 
;  his  nego- 
bi'oken  off 
conditions 
said  that 
succeeded, 
conditions 
that  there 
conditions 


at   all.      And,    indeed,   they    wore    verv    luge; 
namelv,  that  he  was  to  be  mnde  an   acbuiral  at 
once  to  be  appointed  viceroy  of  the  countries  he 
should  discover,  and  to  have  an  eighth  <.l'   the 
profits    of    the   expedition.      The   (»nly  probable 
way  of  accounting  for  the   extent   of  these  de- 
mands  and  his  perseverance    in    making   them, 
even  to  the  risk  of  total  failure,  is  that  the  dis- 
covering of  the  Indies  was  but  a  step  in  his  mind 
to  greater  undertakings,  as  they  seemed  to  him, 
which  he  had  in  view,  of  going  t<»  .Terusak'm  with 
an  army  and  nuddng  another  crusaih'.     Fcr  Co- 
lumbus carried  the  chivalrous  ideas  of  the  twelfth 
century  into  the  somewhat  self-seeking  fifteenth. 
The  negotiation,  however,  failed  a  second  time, 
and  Cohunbus  resolved  again   to  go  to  France, 
when    Alonz<»    de    Quintanilla   and   Juan   Pere/. 
contrived  to  obtain  a  hearing  for  the   great  ad- 
venturer from  Cardinal  Mendoza,  who  was  pleased 
with  him.     Columbus  then  offered,  in  order  to 
meet  the  objections  of  his  opponents,  to  pay  an 


! 


l^  COLUMISUS  THE  NAVIGATOU. 

eighth  part  of  the  expense  «>£  the  expedition.     Still 
nothing-  was  done.     And  now,  finally,  Columbus 
determined  to  go  to  Fiance,  and  indeed  had  actu- 
ally set  off  one  day  in  January  of  the  year  1492, 
when  Luis  de  Santangel,  receiver  of  the  ecclesi- 
astical revenues  of  the  crown  of  Aiagou,  a  person 
nuich    devoted    to    the   plans    of  Columbus,  ad- 
dressed the  queen  with  all  the  energy  that  a  man 
throws  iiit(»  his  words  when  he  is  aware  that  it  is 
his  last  time  for  speaking  in  favor  of  a  thing 
which  ho  has  much  at  heart.     He  told  her  that 
he  wondered  that,  as  she  always  had  a  lofty  mind 
for  o-reat  things,  it  should  be  wanting  to  her  on 
this  occasion.     He  endeavored  to  pique  her  jeal- 
ousy as  a  monarch  by  suggesting  that  the  entei- 
prise  might  fall  into  the  hands  of  other  princes. 
Then  he  said  something  in  behalf  of  Columbus 
himself,  and  the  queen  was  not  unlikely  to  know 
well  the  bearing  of  a  great  man.     He  intimated 
to  her  highness  that  what  was  an  impossibility  to 
the  cosmographers,  might  not  be  so  in  nature. 


on.  Still 
Columbus 
had  Hctu- 
ear  1492, 
le  ecclesi- 
i,  a  person 
ubus,  ad- 
liat  a  man 
;  that  it  is 
if  a  thing 
1  her  that 
lofty  mind 

to  her  on 
,8  her  jeal- 
the  entei"- 
?r  princes. 

Columbus 
[y  to  know 

intimated 
(ssibility  to 

in  nature. 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOl}.  :41 

Nor,  continued  he,  should  any  endeavor  in  so 
<rreat  a  matter  be  attributed  to  lightness,  even 
thouo-h  the  endeavor  should  fail;  for  it  is  the 
part  of  great  and  generous  princes  to  aseertaui 
the   secrets   of   the  world.     Other   princes   had 
gained  eternal  fame  this  way.  .  He  concluded  by 
saying  that  ail  the  aid  Columbus  wanted  to  set 
the  expedition  afloat,  was  but  a  million   of  mar- 
avedis  (equivalent  to  about  £308,  English  money 
of  the  period) ;  and  that  so  great  an   enterprise 
ouo-ht  not  to  be  abandoned  for  the  sake  of  such 
a  trifling  sum.     These  well-addressed  arguments, 
falling  in,  as  they  did,  with  those  of  Quintanilla, 
the  treasurer,  who  had  great  inflxience  with  the 
queen,  prevailed.     She  thanked  these  lords  for 
tb(Mr  counsel,  and  said  she  would  adopt  it,  but 
they  must  wait  until  the  finances  had  recovered  a 
little  from  the  drain  upon  them  occasioned  by  the 
conquest  of  Granada,  or  if  they  thought  that  the 
plan  must  be  forthwith  carried  out,  she  would 
pledge  her  jewels  to  raise  the  necessary  funds. 


,/■ 


Coiunih,,^  i!,raih.i  u,i  ,.,•,/-,•  ../■  ^•./'..;^^ 


r~J^-' 


COLIMBUS  THE  yAVlUATon.  14;J 

Sautangel  and  Quintanilla  kissed  her  hands, 
highly  delighted  at  suceeeding;  and  Santaugel 
offered  to  advance  the  money  retiuired.  Upon 
this  the  queen  sent  an  alguazil  to  overtake  Co- 
lumbus and  bring  him  back  to  the  court.  He 
was  overtaken  at  the  bridge  of  Pinos,  two  leagues 
from  Granada  ;  returned  to  Santa  Fe,  where  the 
sovereigns  were  encamped  before  Granada  ;  was 
well  received  by  Isabella ;  and  finally  the  agree- 
ment between  him  and  their  Catholic  highnesses 
was  settled  with  the  secretary,  Coloma." 

These  articles  of  agreement  were  as  follows  : 


1.  That  Columbus  should  have,  for  himself,  during  his  life,  and 
his  heirs  and  successors  forever,  the  office  of  admiral  in  all  the  lands 
and  continents  which  he  might  discover  or  acquire  in  tlie  ocean, 
with  similar  honors  and  prerogatives  to  those  enjoyed  by  the  high 
admiral  of  Castile  in  his  district. 

2.  That  he  should  be  viceroy  and  governor-general  over  all  the 
said  lands  and  continents  ;  with  the  privilege  of  nominating  three 
candidates  for  the  government  of  each  island  or  province,  one  of 
whom  should  be  selected  by  the  sovereigns. 

3.  That  he  should  be  entitled  to  reserve  for  himself  one  tenth 
of  all  pearls,  precious  stones,  gold,  silver,  spices,  and  all  other 
articles  and  merchandises,  in  whatever  manner  found,  bought. 


144 


COLUMIiUH  TUE  SAVlGATOli. 


bartered,  or  gaiiio.l  within  his  admiralty,  the  costs  being  first  de- 

ducted. 

4.  That  ho,  or  his  li.'utenaiit,  should  !..■  tlu-  sole  judge  in  all 
causes  an.l  disput.s  arising  out  of  traffic  between  those  countries 
and  Spain,  provided  the  high  a.lmiral  of  Castile  had  similar  juris- 
diction in  his  district. 

.5.  That  he  might  th.-n.  and  at  all  after  times,  contribute  an 
eighth  part  of  the  expense  in  fitting  out  vessels  to  sail  on  this  en- 
terprise, and  receive  an  eighth  part  of  the  profits. 

On  the  17th  of  April,  1402,  the  papers  were  all 
signed  and  Columbus  was  free  to  begin  the  prep- 
arations for  his   momentous  voyage.     The  port 
of  Palos  in  Andalusia  was  designated  as  the  place 
of    departure,    the    municipality   standing    com- 
mitted, on  account  of  some  offence,  to  furnish  two 
armed  caravels  to  the  monarch  for  the  space  of 
twelve  months.     At  the  same  time  "  a  proclama- 
tion of  immunity  from  civil  and  criminal  process 
to  persons  taking  service  in  the  expedition  was 
issued.     The  ships  of  Columbus  were  therefore  a 
refuge  for  criminals  and  fraudulent  debtors,"— not 
the  choicest  kind  of  material  for  an  enterprise  of 
pith  and  moment.     Even  with  these  inducements 


ig  first  dc- 

idge  in  all 
5  countries 
nilar  juris- 

itrihute  an 
on  this  en- 


I  were  all 
the  prep- 
riie  port 
the  place 
ng-    t'om- 
inish  two 
space  o£ 
[)r()clama- 
aI  process 
ition  was 
leref ore  a 
•rs," — not 
;erprise  of 
lucements 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  145 

it  was  not  easy  to  induce  men  to  embark.  The 
hardy  mariners  of  Palos  refused  to  enlist  for  what 
they  deemed  a  crazy  voyage  under  a  mad  en- 
thusiast. But  Juan  Perez  was  active  in  persuad- 
ing men  to  embark.  The  Pinzons,  rich  men  and 
skilful  mariners  of  Palos,  joint  d  in  the  undertak- 
ing personally,  and  aided  it  ^ath  their  inoney, 
and  bv  these  united  exertions  three  vessels  were 
manned  with  ninety  mariners,  and  provi  loned  fov 

a  year. 

"The  vessels  were  all  of  small  sizr.  probably 
of  not  more  than  one  hundred  t(  us'  l>urden 
each,  and  therefore  not  larger  in  carrying  capa- 
city than  the  American  yachts  whose  ocean  race 
from  New  York  to  Cowes  was  regarded  as  an  ex- 
ample of  immense  hardihood,  even  in  the  year 
1867.  But  Columbus  considered  them  very 
suitable  for  the  undertaking.  The  Santa  Maria 
which  Columbus  himsel*  commanded,  was  the 
only  one  of  the  three  thus,  was  decked  through- 
out.    The  official  persons  and  the  crew  on  board 


140  COL  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOB. 

lier  were  sixteen  in  number.  The  two  other  vefi- 
sels  were  of  the  chiss  culled  caravels,  and  were 
decked  fore  and  aft,  hut  not  amidshi{)s,  the  stem 
and  stern  beinjj;'  built  so  as  to  rise  high  out  of  the 
water.  One  of  them,  the  Pinta,  was  manned 
by  a  crew  of  tbirty,  connnanded  by  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon.  The  other,  the  Nhxi,  had  Vincent 
Yanez  Pinzon  for  captain,  and  a  crew  of  twenty- 
four  men.  The  whole  munber  of  adventurers 
amounted  to  a  hundred  and  twenty  persons,  men 
of  various  nationalities,  including  among"  them 
two  natives  of  the  British  Isles." 

At  this  juncture  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
glance  at  the  controlling  motives  of  the  illustrious 
man  who  planned  and  controlled  the  expedition. 
More  than  two  hundred  years  had  passed  since 
the  disastrous  eiul  of  the  eighth  and  last  of  those 
gigantic  pulsations  of  religious  faith  and  fanaticism 
known  as  the  Crusades.  Yet  the  great  dream  of 
Columbus  was  nothing  less  then  the  revival  of  the 
Crusades  for  the  recovery  of  the  Holy  Ljind  from 


;her  ves- 
1(1  were 
■he  stem 
it  of  the 
manned 
I  Ahnizo 
Vincent 
twenty- 
en  turers 
ma,  men 
g  them 

phice  to 
iiistrious 
sedition, 
id  since 
of  those 
naticism 
[ream  of 
il  of  tlie 
nd  from 


VOLVMBUS  THE  NAVWATOli. 


117 


V 


the  nde  of  the  Moslem.  Another  of  his  principal 
objects,  says  Irving",  "  was  undoubtedly  the  propa- 
gation of  the  Christian  faith."  He  expected  to 
arrive  at  the  extremity  of  Asia,  and  to  open  a  direct 
and  easy  communication  with  the  vast  and  mag- 
nificent empire  of  the  Grand  Khan.  The  conver- 
sion of  that  heathen  potentate  had,  in  former  times, 
been  a  favorite  aim  of  various  'jjolitiffs  and  pious 
sovereigns,  and  various  missions  had  been  sent 
to  the  remote  regions  of  the  East  for  that  purpose. 
Colmnbus  now  considered  himself  about  to  effect 
this  great  work  j  to  spread  the  lightrof  revelation 
to  the  very  ends  of  the  earth,  and  thus  to  be  the 
instrument  of  accomplishing  one  of  the  sublime 
predictions  of  Holy  Writ.  Ferdinand  listened 
with  complacency  to  these  enthusiastic  anticipa- 
tions. With  him,  however,  religion  was  subservient 
to  Interest ;  and  he  had  found,  in  the  recent  con- 
quest of  Granada,  that  extending  the  sway  of  the 
Church  might  be  made  a  laudable  means  of  ex- 
tending his  own  dominions.     According  to  the 


,1 


-1  k  iinmm  I  imumwoiwiii 


I  ! 


^m.  I  ^ 


^ 
Vi 


^/ ^ 


A 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


149 


doctrines  of  the  day,  every  nation  that  refused  to 
acknowledge  the  truths  of  Christianity  was  fair 
spoil  for  a  Christian  invader ;  and  it  is  probahle 
that  Ferdinand  was  more  stimulated  by  the  ac- 
counts given  of  the  wealth  of  Cipango,  Cathay, 
and  other  provinces  belonging  to  the  Grand  Khan, 
than  by  any  anxiety  for  the  conversion  of  him 
and  his   semi-barbarous  subjects.     Isabella   had 
nobler  inducements ;  she  was  filled  with  a  pious 
zeal  at  the  idea  of  effecting  such  a  great  work  of 
salvation.     From  different  motives,  therefore,  both 
of  the  sovereigns  accorded    with   the    views   of 
Columbus  in  this  particular,  and  when  he  after- 
wards departed  on  his  voyage,  letters  weye  actually 
given  him  for  the  Grand  Khan  of  Tartary.     The 
ardent  enthusiasm  of  Columbus  did  not  stop  here. 
Anticipating  boundless  wealth  from  his  discovei- 
les,  he  suggested  that  the  treasures  thus  acquired 
should  be  consecrated  to  the  pious  purpose  of 
rescuing  the  holy  sepulchre  of  Jerusalem  from  the 
power  of  the  infidels.     The  sovereigns  smiled  at 


..,E,J»rT,»-'iir'"^-'=  ""■'■•>-""'~^'    "!■'■"• 


150 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


this  sally  of  the  ima«>iiuiti<)ii,  hut  expressed  them- 
selves well  i)lease(l  with  it,  and  assured  him  that 
even  without  the  funds  he  anticipated,  they  should 
be  well  disposed  to  that  holy  undertaking.     What 
the   kino-   and   queen,  however,  may  have    con- 
sidered a  mere  sally  of  momentary  excitement,  was 
a  deep  and  cherished  design  of  Columbus.     It  is 
a  curious  and  characteristic  fact,  which  has  never 
been    particularly  noticed,  that  the   recovery  of 
the  holy  sepulchre  was  one  of  the   great  objects 
of  his  ambition,  meditated   throughout   the    re- 
mainder of  his  Ufe,  and  solemnly  provided  for  in 
his  will.     In  fact,  he  subseipiently  considered  it 
the  main  work  for  which  he  was  chosen  by  Heaven 
as  an  agent,  and  that  his  great  discovery  was  but 
a  preparatory  dispensation  of  Providence  to  fur- 
nish means  for  its  accomplishment. 

"  A  home-felt  mark  of  favor,  characteristic  of 
the  kind  and  considerate  heart  of  Isabella,  was 
accorded  to  Colundius  before  his  departure  from 
the  court.     An  albahi^  or  letter-patent,  was  issued 


COLUMUiS  THE  ^■AyIGATOlt. 


151 


theiii- 
i  that 
iliould 
What 
J    coii- 
it,  was 
It  is 
never 
ery  of 
jbjects 
he   re- 
t'or  in 
ered  it 
leaven 
iras  but 
to  fui- 

istic  of 
ila,  was 
•e  from 
s  issued 


by  the  queen  on  the  8th  of  May,  ai)pointing  his 
son  Diego  page  to  Prince  Juan,  the  heir  apparent, 
\\'ith  an  allowance  for  his  support;  an  honor 
granted  only  to  the  sons  of  persons  of  distinguished 
rank.  Thus  <rratified  in  his  dearest  wishes,  after  a 
course  of  delays  and  disa|)i)ointments  sufficient  to 
have  reduced  any  ordinary  man  t«j  despair,  Colum- 
bus took  leave  of  the  court  t)u  the  12th  of  May, 
and  set  out  joyfully  for  Palos-  Let  those  who  are 
disposed  to  faint  under  difficulties  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  any  great  and  worthy  undertaking  re- 
member that  eighteen  years  elapsed  after  the 
time  that  Columbus  conceived  his  enterprise  be- 
fore he  was  enabled  to  carry  it  into  effect ;  that 
the  greater  part  of  that  time  was  passed  in  almost 
hopeless  solicitation,  amidst  poverty,  neglect,  and 
taunting  ridicule ;  that  the  prime  of  his  life  had. 
wasted  away  in  the  struggle,  and  that  when  his 
perseverance  was  finally  crowned  with  success,  he 
was  in  his  fifty-sixth  year.  His  example  shoidd 
encourage  the  entei'prising  never  to  despair." 


15:>  COLUMBUS  THE  SAVIGATOn. 

"The  si'ming-  of  the  contract  with  Cohimhus 
by  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  was  a  momentous  act," 
says   A.  W.    Wright.     "It  marked  the  certain 
beginning  of  an  enterprise  which  had  a  profound 
effect  upon  the  welfare  of  the  human   race.     Ad- 
vancing civihzatiou  had  been  rapidly  pavinjv  the 
way  for  it.     There  are  ages  of  special  mental  ac- 
tivity in  which  mankind  seems  to  progress  much 
more  swiftly  than  in  others.     Columbus  lived,  not 
only  during  the  revival   of  classical  and  other 
learning,  but  stood   upon   the  threshold  of  the 
greatest  advance  of  physical  knowledge  within  a 
given  time  the  world  has  ever  known— our  own 

time,  perhaps,  excepted The  trade  to  the  East 

by  the  Mediterranean  was  mainly  in  the  hands  of 
the  Italians,  and  in  the  general  development  of 
nautical  enterprise  Castile  and  Portugal  were 
forced  to  turn  their  eyes  to  the  Atlantic.  These 
two  nationalities,  after  a  series  of  quarrels  as  to 
new  possessions,  made  a  treaty  of  division,  Portu- 
gal securing  Madeira,  the  Azores,  and  the  African 


inbus 
act, ' 
irtain 
ound 

Ad- 
»•  the 
il  ac- 
much 
d,  not 
other 
)f  the 
;hin  a 
X  own 
leEast 
lids  of 
ent  of 

were 

These 

i  as  to 

Portu- 

Vfrican 


coLUMnrs  the  yAriGATOR.  15:i 

coast.     Castile  took  the  Canaries  and  what  she 
mi<-ht   find   elsewhere.     This   apparently    losing 
bargain  for  the  latter  confined  her  to  a  direction 
which  led  to  America  and  the  enormons  results 
which  followetl.     At  this  time,   too,   what  soon 
became  the  great  empire  of  Charles  V.  and  Philip 
II.  was  founded  by  the   union   of   Aragon  and 
Castile  in  the  persons  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella. 
Under  these  monarchs  Spain  became  a  united  na- 
tion, and  the  career  of  the  Moors  in  the  peninsula, 
which  had  lasted  for  eight  centuries,  was  termi- 
nated." 

The  written  terms  which  Columbus  insisted 
upon,  and  to  which  the  sovereigns  after  holding 
out  some  time  placed  their  names,  according  to 
Prescott,  <' constituted  Christopher  Columbus  their 
Admiral  Viceroy,  and  Governoi-General  of  all 
such  islands  and  continents  as  he  should  discover 
in  the  Western  Ocean,  with  the  privilege  of 
nominating  three  candidates  for  the  selection  of 
one  by  the  crown  for  the  government  of  each  of 


lo4  couyrnrs  tuk  yAVUiAnm. 

these  territories.     He  was  to  be  vested  Avith  ex- 
elusive  rig;lit  of   jurisdiction  over  idl  commercial 
transactions  within  his  admiralty.     He  was  to  be 
entitled    to    one-tenth    of   all    the  products    and 
profits  within  the  limits  of  his  discoveries,  and  an 
additional  eighth  i)rovided  he  should  contribute 
one-ei'i-hth  part  of  the  expense."     He  was  also  to 
receive  the  title  of  Don,  which  then  meant  much 
more  than  it  does  now,  for  himself  and  his  heirs 
forever.     T^he  share  of  the  expense  to  be  defrayed 
by  Columbus   was   met  through  a  loan  from  his 
friends  the  Pinzons.     The  amount    ventured  by 
the  crown  in  the  undertaking  was  oidy  seventeen 
thousand  florins. 

SomeAvriters  have  commented  "upon  the  hesita- 
tion of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  in  investing  so 
small  a  sum  in  so  profitable  an  enterprise  as 
discovering  America ;  but,  considering  the  circum- 
stances, it  was  a  very  bold  and  advanced  thing  to 
do,  and  Isabella  at  least  was  decidedly  ahead  of 
the  times  in  her  day  and  generation.     No  other 

10 


;h  ex 
ercial 
to  be 
and 
nd  an 
I'ibute 
Iso  to 
much 
1  heirs 
frayed 
m  his 
ed  by 
snteeii 

hesita- 
ing  so 
•ise  as 
ireum- 
ling  to 
ead  of 
)  other 


COL  UMB  US  THE  NA 1  'IGA  TOR.  1 5.') 

monarch  in  Europe  conld  be  induced  to  take  the 
step  so  uncertain  of  results,  and  she  had  to  over- 
come the  opposition  of  her   husband.     Next  to 
Columbus  himself  sliould  Isabella  be  honored  in 
whatever  ceremonies   may  be    observed    in    the 
comuio"  commemoration  of  the   discovery   t)f  the 
New  World.     She  remained  his  fast  friend,  and 
he    wrote   of  her    on  his  third  voyage,  '  In  the 
midst  of   the    general  incredulity   the  Almighty 
infused  into  the   Queen,  my  lady,  the  spirit  of 
intelligence  and  energy,  and  whilst  every  one  else 
in  his  ignorance  was  expatiating  on   the  incon- 
venience and  cost,  her  Highness  approved  it,  on 
the  contrary,  and  gave  it  all  the  support  in  her 
power. 


jwi  (HijWM.nnn;i!|W»i^WiHB 


r.ilhii-  Jiiit,!  II, 111  Ciii-rUi  Ifi  nuiiiiTr;  iralflihui  llii    J)i  imrfuri   I'J 
I  ..Iniil.ii.-. 


^t 


liiri  I'l 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


IV. 


ACROSS  THE  WESTERN  OCEAN. 

"  Cease,  rude  Boreas,  blustering  ralkr  I 
List,  ye  landsmen  all  to  me  ; 
Messmates,  hear  a  brother  sailor 
Sing  the  dangers  of  the  sea  ! " 

On  the  third  of  August,  1492,  after  all  the 
ships'  companies  had  confessed  and  received  the 
sacrament,  the  little  flf.et  set  sail  from  the  harbor 
of   Palos,   and   steered   straight  for  the  Canary 
Islands,  the  nearest  land.     Columbus's  design  was 
evidently   to   postpone   as   long  as  possible  the 
actual  plunge  into  the  unknown,  out  of  regard  to 
the  feelings  of  his  motley  crew.     It  is  worthy  of 
note  that  the  most  n.  mentous  sea-voyage  ever 
undertaken  was  begun  on  a  Friday,  although  down 
to  our  own  time  seamen  have  continued  to  regard 
that  day  as  one  of  ill-omen.     But  in  this  case     i 


nmfiii-Miriwrti    - 


158  COLUMUiS  THE  NAVIGATOU. 

least,  Friday  was  not  inauspicious,  although  the 
relatives  of  those  on  board  the  ships  bade  them 
farewell  as  men  doomed  to  certain  death. 

At  the  outset  Cohmibus  commenced  a  regular 
journal  for  the  insjjection  of  his  royal  patrons  on 
his  return — for  the  sublime  faith  of  the  man  never 
doubted  but  that  he  would  return  again  to  sunny 
Spain.  This  diary  began  with  a  dignified  preface 
as  follows  : 

"In  nomine  D.  N.  Jesu  Christi.  Whereas 
most  Christian,  most  high,  most  excellent,  and 
most  powerful  prim-es,  king  and  queen  of  the 
Spains,  and  of  the  islands  of  the  sea,  our  sover- 
eigns, in  the  present  year  of  1402,  after  your 
highnesses  had  put  an  end  to  the  war  with  the 
Moors  who  ruled  in  Europe,  and  had  concluded 
that  warfare  in  the  great  city  of  Granada,  where, 
on  the  second  of  January,  of  this  present  year,  I 
saw  the  royal  banners  of  your  highnesses  placed 
by  force  of  arms  on  the  vowers  of  the  Alhambra, 
which  is  the  fortress  of  that  city,  and  beheld  the 


COL  rmi  us  the  na  no  a  to  n.  1  -^^ 

Moorish  king  sally  forth  from  the  gates  of  the 
city,  and  kiss  the  royal  hands  of  your  highnesses 
and  of  my  lord  the  prince  ;  and  immediately  in 
that  same  month,  in  consequence  of  the  informa- 
tion which  I  had  given  to  your  highnesses  of  the 
lands  of  India,  and  of  a  prince  who  is  called  the 
Grand  Khan,  which  is  to  say  in   our  language, 
king  of  kings  ;  how  that  many  times  he  and  his 
predecessors  had  sent  to   Rome  to    entreat    for 
doctors  of  our  holy  faith  to  instruct  him  in  the 
same  ;  and  that  the  Holy  Father  had  never  pro- 
vided him  with  them,  and  thus  so  many  i)eople 
were  lost,  believing  in  idolatries,   and  imbibing 
doctrines  of  perdition  ;  therefore  your  highnesses, 
as  Catholic  Christians  and  princes,  lovers  \m\  pro- 
moters of  the  holy  Christian  faith,  and  enemies 
of  the  sect  of  Mahomet,  and  of  all  idolatries  and 
heresies,  determined  to  send  me,  Christopher  Co- 
lumbus, to  the  said  parts  of  India,  to  see  the 
said  princes,  and  th«^  people  and  lands,  and  discover 
the  nature  and  disposition  of  them  all,  and  the 


(1 


IGO  COL  UMB  VS  THE  NA  VtGA  'FOR. 

means  to  he  taken  for  the  conversion  of  them  to 
our  holy  faith  ;  and  ordeiecl  that  1  should  not  go 
by  land  to  the  east,  by  which  it  is  the  custom  to 
go,  but  by  a  voyage  to  the  west,  by  which  course, 
unto  the  present  time,  we  do  not  know  for  certain 
that  any  one  hath  passed.  Your  highnesses, 
therefore,  after  having  expelled  all  the  Jews  from 
your  kingdoms  and  territories,  connnanded  me, 
in  the  same  month  of  January,  to  proceed  Avith  a 
sufficient  armament  to  the  said  i}arts  of  India ;  and 
for  this  purpose  bestowed  great  favors  uj)on  me, 
ennobling  me,  that  thenceforward  I  might  style 
myself  Don,  ajjpointing  me  high  admiral  of  the 
Ocean  sea,  and  perpetual  viceroy  and  governor  of 
all  the  islands  and  continents  I  should  discover 
and  gain,  and  which  henceforward  may  be  dis- 
covered and  gained,  in  the  Ocean  sea  ;  and  that 
my  eldest  son  should  succeed  me,  and  so  on  from 
generation  to  generation  forever.  I  departed, 
therefore,  from  the  city  of  Granada,  on  Saturday, 
the  12th  of  May,  of  the  same  year  1492,  to  Palos, 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOIt. 


101 


lem  to 
not  go 
torn  to 
course, 
certain 
nesses, 
s  from 
3d  me, 
witli  a 
i;  and 
)n  me, 
t  style 
of  the 
rnor  of 
iscover 
be  dis- 
id  that 
II  from 
parted, 
iurday, 
I  Palos, 


a  seaport,  where  1  armed  three  ships  well  calcu- 
lated for  such  service,  and  sailed  from  that  port 
well  furnished  with  provisions  and  with  many 
seamen,  on  Friday,  the  3d  of  August,  of  the  same 
year,  half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  and  took  the 
route  for  the  Canary  Islands  of  your  highnesses, 
to  steer  my  course  thence,  and  navigate  until  I 
should  arrive  at  the  Indies,  and  deliver  the  em- 
bassy of  your  highnesses  to  those  princes,  and 
accompli«ii  that  which  you  had  commanded.     For 
this  purpose  I  intend  to  write  during  this  voyage, 
very  punctually  from  day  to  day,  all  that  I  may 
do,  and  see,  and  experience,  as  will  hereafter  be 
seen.     Also,  my  r.overeign  princes,  beside  describ- 
ing each  night  all  that  has  occurred  in  the  day, 
and  in  the  day  the  navigation  of  the  night,  I  pro- 
pose to  make  a  chart,  in  which  I  will  set  down 
the  waters  and  lands  of  the   Ocean  sea  in  their 
proper  situations  under  their  bearings  ;  and  fur- 
ther, to  compose  a  book,  and  illustrate  the  whole 
in  picture  by  latitude  from  the  e^piinoctial,  and 


16-2 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


I     II 


longitude  from  the  west ;  and  upon  the  whole  it 
Avill  be  essential  that  I  should  forget  sleep  and 
attend  closely  to  the  navigation  to  accompUsh 
these  things,  which  will  be  a  great  labor."  * 

A  current  writer  has  called  attention  to  the 
curious  fact,  already  noted,  that  "it  was  on  a 
Friday,  the  3d  of  August,  1402,  tliat  Columbus 
left  the  little  island  of  Saltes  nu  hih  memorable 
first  voyage,  and  continues  to  comment  that  it  was 
also  on  a  Friday,  the  12tli  of  October,  that  he 
landed  in  the  New  World ;  that  on  a  Friday  he 
set  sail  homeward  ;  that  on  a  Friday  again,  the 
15th  of  February,  141)3,  land  Avas  sighted  on 
his  return  to  Europe ;  finally,  that  on  a  Friday, 
the  loth  of  March,  he  arrived  in  Palos.  What 
strikes  one  in  perusing  the  story  of  the  great  voy- 
age is  how  nature  aided  him  in  his  task.  The 
weather  was  delightful,  and  again  and  again  his 


*  Irving' s  translation.  Two  tilings  may  be  noted  in  his  preface  ; 
the  religious  object  of  the  expedition  and  the  statement  that  it 
was  not  certainly  known  that  anyone  had  previously  crossed  the 
Atlantic  from  Europe  to  America. 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIOATOIi.  163 

journal  says  "  there  could  not  be  a  more  favor- 
able wind."     In  the  fli<?ht  of  birds,  the  patches 
of  o-rass  borne  on  the  waves,  and  other  signs  of 
land   seemingly   not   far    distant,    constant   aids 
were  furnished  to  him  in  keeping  up  the  courage 
of  his  men.     But  on  the   return   voyage   nature 
squared  the  account  with  a  winter   of  almost  un- 
precedented fury,  in  which  his  escape  from  ship- 
wreck was  such  that  he  accounted  it  miraculous. 
It  is  a  curious  speculation,  When  would  the  world 
have  heard  of  what  Columbus  discovered,  had  his 
ships  gone  down  in  that  fearful   return  voyage, 
and  luid  his  colony  in  the  West  Indies  been  left 
to  take  care  of  itself?  " 

The  Canaries  were  reached  after  a  few  days' 
sail  with  no  incident  worth  recording  except  the 
breaking  of  the  Pinta's  rudder.  This  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  done  by  design,  in  hope 
of  forcing  the  admiral  to  return  to  Spain.  But 
such  a  trifle  could  not  balk  a  man  who  had  tri- 
umphed over  the  hinderances  and  discouragements 


n 


I 


1G4 


COLUMllUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


of  near  twenty  years  of  waiting-.  The  Pinta  was 
repaired,  and  the  cut  of  tlie  JVina\s  sails  altered 
for  the  better,  and  on  the  sixth  of  September  the 
fleet  set  sail  from  Gomera,  their  prows  pointing 
due  west. 

Looking  backward,  we  are  lost  in  admiration  at 
the  fc  rtitude  which  could  thus  plunge  boldly  into 
a  trackless  and  chartless  sea.  For  it  must  be  re- 
membered that  Columbus  had  nothino-  but  lieai-- 
say,  or  tradition,  or  mere  conjecture  to  support 
his  beliefs.  Charts  he  had  none  save  a  rude  one 
prepared  by  himself,  which  exhibited  the  contour 
of  the  land  toward  wliich  he  was  sailing,  as  he 
supposed  it  to  lie.  Though  this  chart  no  longer 
exists,  it  is  known  to  have  been  based  on  the 
globe  constructed  by  Martin  Behaim  in  the  year 
1492,  and  which  is  still  in  existence.  Its  crude 
guesses  are  enough  to  make  one  laugh.  The 
European  and  African  coasts  are  pretty  accu- 
rately laid  down  from  Iceland  to  the  Guinea 
Coast.     Opposite  to  these,  on  the  westward  side  of 


nta  was 
i  altered 
iber  the 


jointiu"; 


•atiou  at 
dly  into 
jt  be  re- 
it  hear- 
support 
ide  one 
contour 
J,  as  he 
)  lonjjer 

on  the 
he  year 
s  crude 
1.  The 
y   accu- 

Guinea 
i  side  of 


coLumivs  Tim  navigatoii.  103 

the  Atlantic,  is  situated  the  coast  of  Asia,  or 
India,  as  it  was  termed.  Midway  between  the 
two  continents  is  placed  the  great  island  of 
Cipango,  corresponding  to  Japan,  and  which 
Marco  Polo  said  was  fifteen  hundred  leagues  dis- 
tant from  the  Asiatic  mainland. 

Curiously  enough  this  misplaced  Cipango  cor- 
responds in  situation  to  the  fabled  Atlantis. 
But  in  the  calculations  of  Columbus  he  advanced 
this  island— Japan— about  three  thousand  miles 
too  far  to  the  east,  and  this  waa  the  first  land  he 
expected  to  reach. 

For  three  days  after  leaving  Gomera  a  great 
calm  kept  the  three  ships  tossing  on  the  Atlantic 
swells,  with  flapping  sails,  in  full  sight  of  the 
Canary  Islands.  At  length,  on  the  evening  of 
Sunday,  the  ninth  of  September,  a  favoring 
breeze  sprang  up,  and  soon  there  was  nothing  to 
be  seen  but  the  boundless  circle  of  sea  and  sky. 

«  On  losing  sight  of  this  last  trace  of  land,  the 
hearts  of  the  crews  failed  them.     They  seemed 


IGG 


coLUMnrs  riiE  xAVKiATon. 


literally  to  have  taken  leave  of  the  world.     Behind 
them  Avas  everything-  dear  to  the  heart  of  man  ; 
conntry,  family,  fiiends,  life  itself  ;  hefore  them 
everythin<r    was    chaos,    mystery,   and   peril.    In 
the  pertnrhation   of  the  moment,  they  despaired 
of  ever  more  seeing-  their  homes.      Many  of  the 
ruoo-cd   seamen  shed  tears,  and  some  hrohe  into 
loud  lanu'ntatio?>s.     The  admiral  tried  in   every 
way  to  soothe  their   distress,  and  to  inspire  them 
with  his  own  glorious  anticipations.     He  described 
to  them  the   magnificent   countries  to  which  he 
was  ahout  to  conduct  them  ;  the  islands  of  the 
Indian    seas    teeming    with    gold   and   precious 
stones  :   the  regions  of  Cipango  and  Cathay,  with 
their    cities    of  luuivalled  wealth  and  splendor. 
Hfe  pron\ised  them  land  and  riches,  and  every- 
tliing  that  could  arouse  their  cupidity  or  inflame 
their  imaginations  ;  nor  were  these  promises  made 
for  purposes  of  mere   deception  ;  he  certainly  be- 
lieved that  he  should  realize  them  all. 

"  He  issued  orders  to  the  commanders   of  the 


rmuuwuw*  i  J  ■  *■*«' 


Behind 
f  inan  ; 
e  them 
lil.  In 
'vspaired 
of  the 
ke  into 
1  every 
re  them 
Bseribed 
liich  he 
1  of  the 
precious 


Ij! 


with 


plendor. 
I  every- 
inflame 
es  made 
linly  be- 

s  of  the 


COL UMBV8  TIIE  NA  VIGA TOR.  1G7 

Other  vessels  that,  in  the  event  of  separation  by 
any  accident,  they  should  continue  directly  west- 
ward ;  but  that  after  sailing  seven  hundred  leagues 
they  should  lay  by  from  midnight  until  daylight, 
as  at  about  that   distance  he    confidently   ex- 
pected to  find  land.     In  the  meantime,  as  he 
thought  it  possible  he  migh*       )t  discover  land 
within  the  distance  thus  assigned,  and  as  he  fore- 
saw that  the  vague  terrors  already  awakened  among 
the  seamen  would  increase  with  the  space  which 
intervened  between  them  and   their  homes,  he 
commenced   a   stratagem*    which   he    continued 
throughout  the  voyage.     He  kept   two  reckon- 
ings ;  one  correct,  in  which  the  true  way  of  the 
ship  was  noted,  and  which  was  retained  in  secret 
for  his  own  government ;  in  the  other,  which  was 
open  to  general  inspection,  a  number  of  leagues 
was  daily  subtracted  from  the  sailing  of  the  ship, 
so  that  the  crews  were  kept  in  ignorance  of  the 
real  distance  they  had  advanced. 

•Au  old  device  with  Columbus;  see  Chapter  n. 


f 


108 


COLUMJiUS  TIIK  yAVIGATOn. 


"  On  the  11th  of  September,  when   abont  one 
hundred  and  fifty  leagt'ps  west  of  Ferro,  they  fell 
in  with  part  of  a  mast,  which  from  its  size  ap- 
peared to  have  belonged  to  a  vessel  of  about  a 
hundred  and  twenty  tons'  burden,  and  which  had 
evidently  been  a  long-  time   in  the  water.     The 
crews,  trend)lingly  alive  to  everything  that  could 
excite  their  hopes  or  foars,  looked  with  rueful  eye 
upon   this  wreck  of  some  unfortunate   voyager, 
drifting  ominously  at  the  entrance  of  those  un- 
known  seas.     On  the  13th   of  September,  in  the 
evpnin<v,  being  about  two  hundred  leagues  from 
the  i  ii  nd  ul  Ferro,  Columbus,  for  the  first  time, 
noti;  'd    the   variation    of    the    needle, — a    plie- 
rs OiUijnon  which  had  never  before  been  remarked. 
He  perceived,  about  nightfall,  that  the  needle, 
instead  of  pointing  to  the  north  star,  varied  about 
half  a  point,  or  between  five  and  six  degrees,  to 
the  northwest,  and  still  more  on  the  following 
morning.     Struck  with  this  circumstance,  he  ob- 
served it  attentively  for  three  days,  and  found 


L 


r;r->Tr-^r-'W?^?S3?IZv5r-?*3''-- 


vCKi 


^<^U 


a'V. 


^-^>  ^^ 


■if 


,^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  {MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


£:  us,  1110 


1.8 


11-25  ill  1.4    11.6 


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13  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-450 J 


l_. 


■'^fssrs^^^m 


:& 


CfHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historicai  Microreproductions  /  institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


COL  vmh  us  the  na  viga  tou.  169 

that  the  variation  increased  as  he  advanced.  He 
at  first  made  no  mention  of  this  phenomenon, 
knowing  how  ready  his  people  were  to  take  alarm, 
but  it  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  the  pilots, 
and  filled  them  with  consternation.  It  seemed  as 
if  the  very  laws  of  nature  were  changing  as  they 
advanced,  and  that  they  were  entering  another 
world,  subject  to  unknown  influences.  They  ap- 
prehended that  the  compass  was  about  to  lose  its 
mysterious  virtues,  and,  without  this  guide,  what 
was  to  become  of  them  in  a  vast  and  trackless 
ocean  ? 

"  Columbus  tasked  his  science  and  ingenuity 
for  reasons  with  which  to  allay  their  terror.  He 
observed  that  the  direction  of  the  needle  was  not 
to  the  polar  star,  but  to  some  fixed  and  invisible 
point.  The  variation,  therefore,  he  said,  was  not 
caused  by  any  fallacy  in  the  compass,  but  by  the 
movement  of  the  north  star  itself,  which,  like  the 
other  heavenly  bodies,  had  its  changes  and  revolu- 
tions, and  every  day  described  a  circle  round  the 


170  COLUMBUS  TUB  NAVIGATOR. 

pole.  The  high  opinion  which  the  pilots  enter- 
tained of  Columbus  as  a  profound  astronomer 
gave  weight  to  this  theory,  and  their  alarm  sub- 
sided. As  yet  the  solar  system  of  Copernicus  was 
unknown  :  the  explanation,  therefore,  was  highly 
plausible  and  ingenious,  and  it  shows  the  vivacity 
of  his  mind,  ever  ready  to  meet  the  emergency  of 
the  moment.  The  theory  may  at  first  have  been 
advanced  merely  to  satisfy  the  minds  of  others, 
but  Columbus  appears  subsequently  to  have  re- 
mained satisfied  with  it  himself.  The  phenomenon 
has  now  become  familiar  to  us,  but  we  still  con- 
tinue ijjnorant  of  its  cause.  It  is  one  of  those 
mysteries  of  nature,  open  to  daily  observation  and 
experiment,  and  apparently  simple  from  their 
familiarity,  but  which  on  investigation  make  the 
human  mind  conscious  of  its  limits  ;  baffling  the 
experience  of  the  practical,  and  humbling  the 
pride  of  science." 

Throughout   the  voyage  Columbus's  diary  an- 
swered pretty  much  to  the  log-book  which  a  modern 


s  enter- 
•onomer 
•m  sub- 
Icus  was 
5  highly 
vivacity 
fency  of 
ve  been 
'  others, 
lave  re- 
omenon 
;ill  con- 
if  those 
ion  and 
n  their 
ake  the 
ing  the 
ing  the 

iary  an- 
modern 


COLUMBUS  TUE  yAVIUATOli.  171 

sea-captain  keeps.  All  the  petty  incidents  o£  a 
sea-voyage  which  even  nowadays  lend  interest  to 
each  day  are  recorded,  as  the  following  extracts 

show  : 

«  On  the  14th,  th«^  sailors  of  the  caravel  Nina 
saw  two  tropical  birds,  which  they  said  were  never 
wont  to  be  seen  at  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty 
leagues  from  shore.     On  the  15th  they  all  saw  a 
meteor  fall  from  heaven,  which  made  them  very 
sad.     On   the  16th,  they  first  came  upon  those 
immense  plains  of  seaweed  (the  fucus  nutans), 
which   constitute   the  Sargasso  Sea,  and  which 
occupy  a  space   in  the  Atlantic  almost  equal  to 
seven  times  the  extent  of  France.     The  aspect  of 
these   plains   greatly   terrified   the    sailors,    who 
thought  they  might  be  coming  upon  submerged 
lands  and  rocks;  but  finding  that  the  vessels  cut 
their  way  through  this  sea-weed,  the  sailors  there- 
upon took  heart.  .  .  .     Tn  the  morning  of  the 
same  day  they  catch  a  crab,  from  which  Columbus 
infers  that  they  cannot  be   more   than  eighty 


573;.T«;raSP«^»'aWi'i-"' 


17-2 


COL UM II US  THE  yAVKlATOH. 

leagues  distant  from  land.  The  18th,  they  sec 
many  hirds,  and  a  cloud  in  the  distance  ;  and  that 
night  they  expect  to  see  land.  On  the  IDth,  in 
the  morning,  comes  a  pelican  (a  bird  not  usually 
seen  twenty  leagues  from  the  coast) ;  in  the 
evening,  another  ;  also  drizzling  rain  without 
wind,  a  certain  sign,  as  the  diary  says,  of  proximity 
to  land. 

"  The  admiral,  however,  will  not  heat  about  for 
land,  as  he  concludes  that  the  land  which  these 
various  natural  phenomena  give  token  of,  can  only 
be  islands,  as  indeed  it  proved  to  be.  He  will  see 
them  on  his  return  ;  but  now  he  must  press  on 
to  the  Indies.  This  determination  shows  his 
strength  of  mind,  and  indicates  the  almost  certain 
basis  on  which  his  great  resolve  reposed.  Accord- 
ingly, he  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  the  main 
design  by  any  partial  success,  though  by  this  time 
he  knew  well  the  fears  of  his  men,  some  of  wliom 
had  already  come  to  the  conclusion,  '  that  it  would 
be  their  best  plan  to  throw  him  quietly  into  the 


;liev  see 
ind  that 
M)th,  in 
usually 
in  the 
Avithout 
•oximity 

)out  for 
•h  these 
•an  only 
will  see 
)i'ess  on 
:)ws  his 
;  certain 
Accord- 
le  main 
liis  time 
if  whom 
t  would 
nto  the 


(■orA'MIiUS  THE  NAVIGATOn.  178 

sea,  and  say  he  unfortunately  fell  in,  while  he 
stood  absorbed  in  looking-  at  the  stars.'  Indeed, 
three  days  after  he  had  resolved  to  pass  on  to  the 
Indies,  we  find  hhn  saying,  for  Las  Casas  gives  his 
words,  '  Very  needfid  f<n-  me  was  this  contrary 
wind,  for  the  people  were  very  much  tormented 
with  the  idea  that  there  were  no  winds  on  these 
seas  that  could  take  them  hack  to  Spam.' 

"  On  they  go,  having  signs   occasionally  in  the 
presence  of  birds  and  grass  and  fish  that  land  must 
be  near  ;  but  kind  does  not  come.     Once,  too,  they 
are    all    convinced  that    they    see    land;    they 
sin'r  the  '  Gloria  in  Excelsis  ; '  and  even  the  admiral 
goes  out  of  his  course  towards  this  land,  which 
turns   out  to  be  no   land.     They  are  like   men 
listenin*'-  to  a  dreadful  disccmrse  or  oration,  that 
seems  to  have  many  endings  which  end  not  ;  so 
that  the  hearer  listens  at   last  in  grim  despair, 
thinking  that  all  things  have  lost  their  meaning, 
and  that  ending  is  but   another   form  of  begin- 
ning. 


5»a*.!«3w=es«r«(Bscii-<.s«s>!7r7^ 


174  COLVMUV:^  THE  NAVUiATOn. 

"  These  manners  were  stout-hearted,  too  ;  hui 
what  a  daring  thing  it  was  to  pUmge,  down-hill 
as  it  were,  into 

'  A  world  of  waves,  a  sea  wilhout  a  shore, 
Trackless,  and  vast,  and  wild,' 

mocked  day  by  day  with  signs  of  land  that  neared 
not.  And  these  men  had  left  at  home  all  that 
is  dearest  to  man,  and  did  not  bring  out  any 
great  idea  to  uphold  them,  and  had  already  done 
enough  to  make  them  important  men  in  their 
towns,  and  to  furnish  ample  talk  for  the  evenings 
of  their  lives.  Still  we  find  Columbus,  as  late  as 
the  3d  of  October,  saying,  '  that  he  did  not  choose 
to  stop  beating  about  last  week  during  those  days 
that  they  had  such  signs  of  land,  although  he  had 
knowledge  of  there  being  certain  islands  in  that 
neighborhood,  because  he  would  not  suffer  any 
detention,  since  his  object  was  to  go  to  the  Indies ; 
and  if  he  should  stop  on  the  way  it  would  show  a 
want  of  mind.' 

"  Meanwhile,  he  had  a  hard  task  to  keep  his 


oo  ;  l)ui 
[owii-hill 


it  neared 
all  that 
out  any 
,(ly  done 
in  their 
evenings 
IS  late  as 
ot  choose 
lose  days 
;h  he  had 
',  in  that 
iffer  any 
le  Indies ; 
Id  show  a 

keep  his 


coiAwnns  THE  .v. ir/'.i /"/.'•  l""> 

men    in    any   order.     Tctor    Martyr,    Avho    knew 
C()liun1)us  well,  and  had  probably  been  favored 
with  a  special  acc;oant  from  him  of  these  perilous 
days,  describes  his  Avay  of  dealiug   with   the  re- 
fractory mariners,  and  how  he  contrived  to  Avin 
them   onwards  front   day  to   day  ;  now   soothlno- 
them  Avith  soft  words,  now  carrying  their  minds 
from  thought  of  the  present  danger  by  spreadhig 
out  large  hopes  before  them,  not  forgetting  to  let 
them  know  Avhat  their  princes  would  say  to  them 
if  they  attempted  aught  against  hhn,  or  would  not 
obey  his  orders.     With  this  untutored  crowd  of 
Avild,  frightened  men  around  him,  Avith  mocknig 
hopes,  not  knowhig  what  each  day  would  bring  to 
him,  on  Avtmt  Columbus." 

He  had  already,  as  we  have  seen,  adopted  the 
device  of  keeping  a  doulde-reckoning  of  the  miles 
sailed— one,  for  the  men,  wherein  their  progress 
Avas  made  to  appear  slower  than  Avas  really  ih'j 
case,  and  a  correct  reckoning  for  himself.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  the  admiral  was  not  sure 


T-^^sjsaj':::*^'^  _--?(iT'Ti.K'»^*^ 


r-  .•?*;»;oas|77JI'JA>*MW'-'"-"^Ti:Wfc  ^-iU'^i'-'^ysT'' 


'T 


I   ! 


I  \ 


176  COLUMBUS  TIIK  .V.I  I/'..  I /O/,'. 

of  his  distances,  altlioucrh  lie  believed  tluit  his 
eonjeetures  would  prove  to  he  truths  ;  and  in  the 
second  place,  he  did  not  wish  to  arouse  the  fears 
of  the  crews  by  letting  them  know  how  many 
watery  leagues  intervened  between  them  and  home. 
On  the  first  of  October  the  crew  of  the  Santa 
Maria  were  told  they  had  sailed  five  hundred  and 
ei««htv-four  leasrues  to  the  Avestward,  but  the  pri- 
vate  reckoning  of  Columbus  shoAved  seven  hun- 
dred and  seven. 

Thus   far   Columbus   had   steered    Aue   west. 
Time  and  again  the  wt  icome  cry  of  "  Land  ho  !  " 
had  rung  out  from  the  difl^erent  vessels,  but  in 
each  instance  it  was  proved  to  be  a  delusive  cloud 
which  melted  into   thin    air.     When   they    had 
sailed  seven  hundred  and  fifty  leagues,  the  dis- 
tance at  which  the  admiral  had  expected  to  sight 
Cipango,  even  his  stout  heart  began  to  have  its 
misgivings.     Great   flocks   of   small   birds   were 
observed  flying  to  the  southwest,  and  remember- 
in<v  the  great  store  which  the  Portuguese  in  their 


thi'.t  his 
nd  ill  the 
the  fears 
)w  many 
,11(1  home. 
lie  Santa 
idled  and 
c  the  pri- 
;veii  huii- 

lue   west, 
imd  ho  !  " 
Is,  but  in 
isive  cloud 
they    had 
5,  the  dis- 
d  to  sight 
0  have  its 
)irds   were 
remembei- 
se  in  their 


I 


coLUMnrs  THE  sAViaAron.  177 

various  voyages  had  set  by  such  indications,  he 
conchided  that  there  must  l)e  hu.d  in  that  ([uarter 
where  the  feathered  creatures  coukl  lind  rest  and 

food. 

He  therefore,  on  the  nioht  of  the   seventh  of 
October,  chang-ed  the  course   to  west-south-west. 
And  now  the  end  of  the  voyage  was  near.     "For 
three  days  they  stood  in  this  direction,  and  the 
further  they  went  the  more  f re(iuent  and  encourag- 
ing were  the  signs  of  hind.     FUghts   of  small 
birds  of  various  colors,  some  of  them  such  as  sing 
in  the  fields,  came  flying  about  the  ships,  and 
then  continued  towards  the  southwest,  and  others 
were  heard  also  flying  by  in  the  night.     Tunny 
fish  played  about  the  smooth  sea,  and  a  heron,  a 
pelican,  and  a  duck,  were  seen,  aU  bound  in  the 
same  direction.     The  herbage  which  floated  by 
was  fresh  and  green,  as  if  recently  from  land,  and 
the  air,  Columbus  observes,  was  sweet  and  fragrant 
as  April  breeze«  in  Seville. 

«  AU  these  signs,  however,  were  regarded  by 


rf^^Ei^i^'g;-- 


Thv  Sliips  of  Coluiithua's  First  Voyo'ji'. 


\^ 


71 


r>--r^->s 


COLUMBUS  THE  yAVIGATOU. 


179 


the  crews  as  so'many  delusions  beguiling  them  on 
to  destruction  ;  and  when  on  the  evening  of  the 
third  day  they  heheld  the  sun  go  down   upon  a 
shoreless  ocean,  they  broke  forth   into  turbulent 
clamor.     They  exclaimed  against  this  obstinacy 
in  tempting  fate  by  continuing  on  hito  a  bound- 
less sea.     They  insisted  upon  Uirning  homeward, 
and   abandoning   the  voyage  as  hopeless.     Col- 
umbus endeavored  to  pacify  them  by  gentle  words 
and  promises  of  large  rewards  ;  but  finding  that 
they   only    increased   in    clamor    he   assumed   a 
decided  tone.     He   told  them  it  was  useless  to 
murmur  ;   the  expedition  had  been  sent  by  the 
sovereigns  to  seek  the  Indies,  and,  happen  what 
might,  he  was  determined  to  persevere,  until,  by 
the"  blessing  of  God,  he   should  acc<nuplish  the 
enterprise."     Mr.  Butterworth's  poem,  "  The  Bird 
that  Sang  to  Columbus,"  rouiantically  alludes  to 
the  flying  visits  of  the  feathered  inhabitants  of 
the  new  lands  to  the  ships  of  the  little  fleet : 


180 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


"  Padre, 

As  on  we  go, 

Into  the  unknown  sea, 

The  morning  splendors  rise  and  glow 

In  new  horizons   still— I'adre,  you  know 

They  said   ia  old  Seville  'twould  not  be  so; 

They  said  hlaek  deeps  and  (laming  air 

Were  oeean's  narrow  bound  ; 

Light  everywhere 

We've  found. 

Padre. 

"  Behold  ! 

The  fron(le<l  palms 

That  fan  the  earth,  and  hold 

Aloft  their  mellowed  fruit  in  dusky  arms, 

Above  these  paradises  of  the  sea. 

Hark  I  hear  the  birds. — A  land  bird  said  to  me 

Upon  the  mast  on  that  mysterious  morn 

Before  the  new  world  rose  ; 

San:^,  and  was  gone. 

Who  knows, 

Padro  ? 

"  But  he, 
That  joyful  bird, 
Was  sent  by  heaven  to  nu' 
To  sing  the  sweetest  song  man  ever  heard  ! 

He  came  among  the  mutiny  and  strife. 

And  sang  his  song  in  Ihese  new  airs  of  life — 

Hang  of  the  Eden  of  those  glorious  seas. 

Then  Westward  made  his  flight. 

On  the  land  breeze, 

From  sight, 

Padre." 

"  Columbus  was  now  at  open  defiance  with  his 
crew,  and  his  situation  became  desperate.  Fortu- 
nately the  manifestations  of  the  vicinity  of  laud 


(JOLU Vitus  THE  NAVIGATOIL 


181 


Ire. 


nt\\  his 

Foitu- 

o£  laud 


were  such  ou  the  following  day  as  no  longer  to 
admit  a  doubt.     Beside  a  quantity  of  fresh  weeds, 
such  as  grow  in  rivers,  they  saw  a  green  fish  of  a 
kind  which  keeps  about  rocks  ;  then  a  branch  of 
thorn  with  berries  on  it,  and  recently  separated 
from  the  tree,  floated  by  them ;  then  they  picked 
up  a  reed,  a  small  board,  and,  above  all,  a  staff 
artificially  carved.     All  gloom  and  mutiny  now 
gave  way  to  sanguine  expectation  ;  and  through- 
out the  day  each  one  was  eagerly  on   the  watch 
in  hopes  of.  being  the  first  to  discover  the  long- 
sought-for  land. 

"  In  the  evening,  when,  according  to  invariable 
custom  on  board  of  the  admiral's  ship,  the  mariners 
had  sung  the  Salve  Regina,  or  vespei-  hymn  to 
the  Virgin,  he  made  an  impressive  address  to  his 
crew.*     He  pointed  out  the  goodness  of  God  in 

•  In  the  evenliiK,  according  to  tho  invariable  custom  on  board 
the  Adniiral'8  «bip,  the  mariners  sang  the  Vesper  Hymn  to  the 
Virgin."— InviNO,  Bk.  iii.,  cliap.  iv. 

"  Ave  Maris  StcUa,'" 
Hull  thou  Star  of  t\w  Sea ! 


1! 


182 


('OIAMISUS  THE  yAVlUMOn. 


thus  coiuliit'tiug  tlienx  by  soft  and  favoring 
breezes  across  a  tranquil  ocean,  cheering  their 
hopes  continually  with  fresh  signs,  increasing  as 
their  fears  augmented,  and  thus  leading  and 
guiding  them  to  a  })romised  land.  He  now  re- 
minded them  of  the  orders  he  had  given  on 
leaving  the  Canaries,  that,  after  sailing  westward 
seven  hundred  leagues,  they  should  not  make  sail 
after  midnight.  Present  appearances  authorized 
such   a   precaution.      He   thought   it    probable 

'' Dv)  Milt ir  Alma:'' 

Swoct  iiKitlicr,  wi'  trust  in  thee. 

"  At(iiii'  uniiiwr  Virr/d," 
Virgin  lor  siye  rciiiainiiig, 
"  Firlir  ('n,li.r  piirtn," 
Heaven's  portal  now  maintaining. 

"  Sumcns  illiul  urc,'' 

O  tlioii  by  aiiiit'l  West, 

"  Gd'irii'lis  ore," 

Guard  now  our  nightly  rest. 

"  Fiiiuhi  m(.s  ill  piicp" 
Grant  ui  lo  us  lliy  poaoe, 
"  ytiitinix  Enic  luiiiicn," 
When  life's  long  toll  shall  cease. 

From  the  Cantata, 

"  The  Voyaijc  of  Columhun,''^  by 
PuDLKY  Buck, 


j*U_ 


1 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAViaATOIi.  188 

they  would  make  land  that  very  night;  he  or- 
dered, therefore,  a  vigilant  look-out  to  he  kept 
from  the  forecastle,  promising  to  whomsoever 
should  make  the  discovery  a  douhlet  of  velvet, 
in  addition  to  the  pension  to  he  given  hy  the 

sovereigns. 

«  The  hreeze  had  heen  fresh  all  day,  with  more 
sea  than  usual,  and  they  had  made  great  pro- 
gress.    At  sunset  they  had  stood  again   to  the 
west,  and  were  ploughing  the  waves  at  a  rapid 
rate,  the  Pinta  keeping  the  lead,  from  her  supe- 
rior sailing.      The  greatest  aninuition   prevailed 
throughout  the  ships;  not  an  eye  was  closed  that 
night.     As  the  evening  darkened,  Colun.hus  took 
his  station  on  the  top  of  the  castle  or  cal.in  .)n 
the  high  poop  of  his  vessel,  ranging  his  eye  along 
the  dusky  horizon,  and  nuiintaining  an  intense 
and  unremitting  watch.     Ahout  ten  o'clock,  he 
thought  he  heheld  a  light  glimmering  at  a  great 
distance.     Fearing  his  eager  hopes  might  deceive 
him,  he  called  to  Pedro  Gutierrez,  gentleman  of 


1 


UU 


184 


COLl'MIirs  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


the  king's  bed-chambev,  and  inquired  whether  he 
saw  such  a  Ught ;  the  latter  repUed  in  the  aftirma- 
tive.     Doubtful  whether  it  luioht  not  yet  be  some 
dehisiou  of  the  fancy,  Cohmibus  called  Rodrigo 
Sanchez  ot"  Segovia,  and  made   the  same  inquiry. 
By  the  tune  the  latter  had  ascended  the  round-house 
the  light  had  disappeared.     They  saw  it  once  or 
twice  afterwards  in  sudden  and  passing  gleams ;  as 
if  it  were  a  torch  in  the  bark  of  a  fisherman,  rising 
and  sinking  with  the  waves ;  or  in  the  hand  of 
some  person  on  shore,  borne  up  and  down  as  he 
walked  from  house  to  house.     So  transient  and 
uncertain  were  these  gleams  that  few  attached 
any  importance    to   them ;    Columbus,    however, 
considered  them  as  certain  signs  of  land,  and, 
moreover,  that  the   land   was   inhabited.     They 
continued  their  course  until  two  in  the  morning, 
when  a  gun  from  the  Pinta  gave  the  joyful  sig- 
nal of  land.     It  was  first  descried  by  a  mariner 
named  Rodrigo  de  Triana;  but  the  reward  was 
afterward  adjudged  to  the  admiral,  for  having  pre- 


ither  he 
iiftirma- 
[)e  some 
Elodrigo 
inquiry, 
cl-house 
once  or 
Sims;  as 
ti,  rising 
hand  of 
n  as  he 
ent  and 
attached 
lowever, 
id,  and, 
•     They 
norning, 
^ful  sig- 
mariner 
ard  was 
ving  pre- 


COLUMlll^S  THE  yAVIGATOR.  IX') 

viously  perceived  the  light.  The  land  was  now 
clearly  seen  ahout  two  leagues  distant,  whereupon 
they  took  in  sail,  and  laid  to,  waiting  impatiently 
for  the  dawn."  Such  is  Irving's  circumstantial 
and  romantic  account.  It  is  doubtless  near  enough 
lothe  truth  for  all  present  purposes." 

"  The  thoughts  and  feelings  of  Columbus  in 
this  little  space  of  time,"  says  Irving,  "  must  have 
been  tumultuous  and  intense.  At  length,  in  spite 
of  every  difticulty  and  danger,  he  had  accomphshed 
his  object.  The  great  mystery  of  the  ocean  was 
revealed ;  his  theory,  which  had  been  the  scofE 
of  sages,  was  triumphantly  established  ;  he  had 
secured  to  himself  a  glory  durable  as  the  world 

itself. 

"  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  the  feehngs  of  such 
a  man,  at  such  a  moment;  or  the  conjectures 
which  must  have  thronged  upon  his  mind  as  to 
the  land  before  him,  covered  with  darkness.  That 
it  was  fruitful,  was  evident  from  the  vegetables 
which  floated  from  its  shores.     He  thought,  too, 


mQ  (OLlMlirs  THE  y.WlUATOU. 

that  he  peiceivod  the  fruj^nince  of  aromatic  groves. 
The  movinj;-  light  he  had  behehl   proved  ii  the 
residence  of  man.     But  what  were  its  inhabitants  ? 
Were  tliey  hke  those  of  the  other  parts  of  the 
globe;    or  were  they  some  strange  and  monstrous 
race,  such  as  the  imagination  was  prone  in  those 
times  to  give  to  all  remote  and  unknown  regions  ? 
Had  he  come  upon  some  wild   island  far  in   the 
Indian  sea ;  or  was  this  the  famed  Cipango  itself, 
the  object  of  his  golden  fancies  ?     A  thousand 
speculations  of  the  kind  must  have  swarmed  u})ou 
lam,  as,  with  his  anxious  crews,  he  waited  for  the 
night  to  pass  away  ;  wondering  whether  the  nu)rn- 
intr  liiiht  would  reveal  a  savage  wilderness,  or 
dawn  upon  spicy  groves,  and  glittering  fanes,  and 
gilded  cities,  and  all  the  splendor  of  Oriental  civ- 
ilization." 

This  was  the  memorable  night  of  the  eleventh 
of  October.  The  next  morning,  the  twelfth, — and 
again  it  was  a  Friday — Columbus  first  beheld  the 
soil,  the  trees,  and  the  people  of  the  New  World. 


COLUMins  77/A'A'.irir;.l/0/.'. 


i: 


c  ffi'oves. 
(I  ii  the 
ibitants  ? 
s  of  the 
lonstrous 
in  those 


reg'ions 


r  in  the 


g-o  itself, 
tliousand 
ned  upon 
id  for  the 
:he  nioin- 
rness,  or 
anes,  and 
ental  eiv- 

eleventh 
Fth, — and 
•eheld  the 
w  World. 


Landing,  in  great  i.oun>,  -it^  all  his  captan.s  and 
their  crews,  he  named  the  island  San  Salvador, 
(its  native  name  was  Guanahani)  and  took  formal 
possession  thereof  in  the  name  of  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella.* 

Bahamas  or  Luca>os  str  uaioi  ,  ,,  „tl,or  in  f^en- 

„,,lr.Hls  of  islau.ls   some  of  \''-"'    1  ;'~  ,„„,  .noro  or 

,,,      The   l"'^-;;,^f '^,i'         ;i\h;t  tnumion  rointod  to 
named  it  Nan  Sahador.     irMn«  ,.  ,„  ^^..^^ 

, .  ,,,.„„  ^'^zrz:n:.^'^«^^«"' '«« >"■»-•  „"■; 

raised  from  the  rinta,  am       i  (i.-uide  Salina  of  the  Turk 

Navarelte  ideulilied  iV^^^';-;  ^^'^^ ",*  „ ,     Muno.,  as  early 

l.,a„ds  ;  ^^^^-'^^^^^^J^^^^J^tont  iif.y  mile.  «outh- 
as  nus,  pointed  out  tUat  \  at         1  (.„uunbus  ;  Capt. 

eastoi  C=^7;;;r;i^;:^j^',  '^uelnd   ealled  Samana.     The 
Fox,  favored  the  elaims  oi  iw  m,„..oz   and  by  sueh 

,„lhor.M.  •'  ■^-    "•    ™       ■  „„„.  „„»l  important,  be- 

following  his  eourse.  October,"  says 


1 


188 


COLrMlll'S  THE  yA\'I(!ArUl!. 


It  was  a  mere  islet  of  the  Bahama  j^ioiip,  hut 
to  Cohunlms  it  rei)reseiite(l  a  woiKl.  Though 
ai)pareutl^'  utu-ukivated  it  seemed  to  he  teeming 
with  population,  the  natives   soon   heccnning   oh- 

Columbtis  at  a  lator  ilay  sot  up  a  I'laiiu  for  the  reward  for  the  first 
discovery  on  the  streiii;th  of  this  mysterious  iij,'hl.  to  the  exclusion 
of  tlie  poor  sailor  who  tirst  actually  saw  laud  from  the  I'inta,  has 
suhjected  his  memory  to  some  discredit,  at  least  with  those  who 
reckon  niasnauiudty  among  the  virtues.  At  aliou!  2  o'clock,  the 
moon  then  shininj:,  a  mariner  on  the  Pinta discerned  unmistakably 
a  low,  sandy  shore.  In  the  morning  a  landing  was  made,  and  with 
prayer  and  ceremony,  possession  was  taken  of  the  new-found  island 
in  the  name  of  the  Spanish  sovereigns."  What  land  was  this  ?  Fox, 
working  out  Columbus's  log,  shows  that  he  had  sailed  n,4.'>8  miles, 
I'nknown  currents  had  helped  him.  The  actual  distance  from 
Palos,  in  Spain  to  the  islands  he  ndght  have  landed  on  shows  an 
excess  over  the  distance  logged,  to  Grand  Turk,  (i24  miles  ;  to 
Marignaiui,  t'.'C) ;  to  Watling,  ;i."):)  ;  to  Cat,  ol7  ;  to  Samana,  :!87. 
Columbus  speaks  of  the  island  as  "small  "  and  again  as  "  pretty 
large."  He  calls  it  very  level,  with  abundance  of  water  and  a  very 
large  lagoon  in  the  middle,  and  it  was  in  the  last  month  of  the 
rainy  season,  when  the  low  parts  of  the  islands  are  usually  flooded. 

I. — Cat ,  or  San  Salvador.  Alexander  S.  Mackenzie  of  the  United 
States  Xavy  worked  out  the  problem  for  Irving,  and  this  island  is 
fixed  upon  in  the  latter's  "  Lif(^  of  Columbus." 

II. — Watling's  Island  is  thirteen  miles  long  by  about  six  broad, 
with  a  height  of  140  feet,  and  having  about  one-third  of  its  interior 
water.  This  island  was  suggested  by  Miuioz  in  17t»;!,  and  is  advo- 
cated by  Capt.  IJecher,  H.  X.,  I'escher  and  I!.  II.  Major,  and  is 
most  parefully  worked  out  by  Lieut.  .1.  15.  Murdock.  U.  S.  N. 

III.— Grand  Turk  is  five  and  one-half  by  one  and  a  quarter  miles  ; 
its  highest  part  seventy  feet,  and  one-third  of  its  surface  is  interior 
water.  Navarrete,  Kettell  and  George  Gibbs  adopted  Grand  Turk, 
and  Major  followed  them  in  his  first  edition. 

I'V. — Mariguana  is  twenty-three  and  a  half  miles  long  by  an 

13 


'3i!nS!1S5»*SMBK^vrEfft-fS52^'^i>iC5 


fmsmmoimmss&^m'  - 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOIi.  189 

jects  of  interest  to  the  Spaniaras,  while  the  latter 
excited  awe  and  veneration  on  the  part  of  the 
islanders,  who  thought  them  gods  from  heaven, 
u  The  appearance  of  the  natives,"    says  Irvuig, 
u.ave  nopronr.se  of  either  wealth  or  civilization, 
fo^rthey  were  entirely  naked,   and  painted  with  a 
variety  of  colors.     With   so.ne   it    was  confined 
,nerely  to  a  part  of  the  face,  the  nose,  or  around 
the  eyes  ;  with  <.thers   it  extended  to  the  .vhole 
hody,  and  gave  them  a  wild  and  fantastic  appear- 
ance     Their  ccmiplexion  was  of  a  tawny  or  copper 
hue,   and  they  were  entirely  destitute   of  heards. 
Their  hair  was  not  crisped,  like  the  then  recently- 
discovered  trihes  of  the  African  coast,  under  the 
same  latitude,  hiit  straight  and  coarse,  partly  cut 

average  of  four  vvidc  :  ri.o«  101  foot,  and  1>- -  into.-ior  .ator.    It 
^:S^.afor.yDe^an....;of...^^ 

V.-Samaiia  or  AttAs ood  s  I  .v> ,  is  „„i„habitoa, 

half  ^vi.U^  .ith  the  highest  nd^o  UM        t-  „^^^  ^^^,,  ,,. 

but  contains  evidonoos  of  abongmal  habiUt  ^^^^^_^ 

lectod  for  the  landfall  l,y  Gustavus  A  .  W.x  lu 


10t> 


COLVMlilS  TIIK  XAVIGATOII. 


short  above  the  ears,  hut  sonieh)eks  weiek^ft  long 
hehhid  and  t'allini>-  ni)()n  their  shouhk'rs.  Their  fea- 
tures, though  obscured  and  disHouied by  paint,were 
agreeabk' ;  they  had  h)fty  foreheads  and  remarkably 
fine  eyes.  They  were  of  moderate  stature  and  well 
shai)ed  ;  most  of  them  a})peared  to  be  under  thirty 
years  of  age  ;  there  was  but  one  female  with  them, 
quite  young,  naked  like  her  companions,  and 
beautifully  formed.  As  Cohuubus  supposed  him- 
self to  have  landed  on  an  island  at  the  extremity  of 
India,  he  called  the  natives  by  the  general  appella- 
tion of  Indians,  which  was  universally  adopted 
before  the  true  nature  of  his  discovery  was  known, 
and  has  since  been  extended  to  all  the  aboriginals 
of  the  New  World. 

"The  island<'rs  were  friendly  and  gentle. 
Their  only  arms  were  lances,  hardened  at  the  end 
by  fire,  or  pointed  with  a  Hint,  or  the  teeth  or 
bone  of  a  fish.  There  was  no  iron  to  be  seen, 
nor  did  they  appear  acquainted  with  its  proper- 
ties ;  for,  Avhen  a  drawn  sword  was  presented  to 


ft  loiifj 
it'ir  t'ea- 
iiit,were 
ijukably 
uul  well 
'1  thirty 
li  them, 
!is,  and 
?ecl  hiiu- 
emity  of 
appella- 
a(h)pte(l 
known, 


(I'io-inals 


gentle, 
the  end 
:;eeth  or 
be  seen, 

proper- 
■nted  to 


COLl'.UnrS  THK  NAVIGATOU.  101 

them,  they  unguarcltnlly  took   it   by  the   edge. 
Columbus  distributed  anion<?  them  colored  caps, 
glass  beads,  hawks'  bells,  and  other  trifles,  such 
as  the  Portuguese  were  accustomed  to  trade   with 
amonsi-  the  natives  of  the  gold  coast  of  Africa. 
They  received  them  eagerly,  hung  the  beads  round 
their    necks  and  were    wonderfully  pleased  with 
their  finery,    and  with  the  sound  of   the   bells. 
The  Spaniards  remained  all  <lay  on    hore  refresh- 
in"-  themselves  after  their  anxious  voyage  amidst 
the  beautiful  groves  of  the  island,  and  returned 
on  board  late  in  the  evening,  delighted  with  all 
they  had  seen. 

"  On  the  following  morning,  at  break  of  day, 
the  shore  was  thronged  with  the  natives  ;  some 
swam  off  to  the  ships,  others  came  in  light  barks 
which  they  called  canoes,  formed  of  a  single 
tree,  hollowed,  and  capable  of  holding  from  one 
man  to  the  number  of  forty  or  fifty.  These  they 
managed  dexterously  with  paddles,  and,  if  over- 
turned, swam  about  in  the  water  with  perfect  un- 


^i>ISSi^mi^d;M^!iA^V^-i>i*->'-':i'ii--^-^'J'"-  l'-^-"&-''^-»i<U'i  ■:-.^»r„-*'^,,i^- 


100  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOn. 

concerrs  as  if  in  their  natural  element,  righting 
their  canoes  with  great  facility,  and  baling  them 
with  calabashes.     They   were  eager   to  procure 
more  toys  and  trinkets,  not,  apparently,  from  any 
idea  of  their  intrinsic  value,  but  because  every- 
thing from  the  hands  of  the   strangers  possessed 
a  supernatural  virtue  in  their  eyes,  as  having  been 
brought  from  heaven  ;  they  even  picked  up  frag- 
ments of  glass  and  earthenware  as  valuable  prizes. 
They  had  but  few  objects  to  offer  in  return,  ex- 
cept parrots,  of  which  great  numbers  were  domes- 
ticated among  them,  and  cotton  yarn,  of  which 
they  had  abundance,  and  would  exchange  large 
balls  of  five-and-twenty  pounds'   weight  for  the 
merest  trifle.     They  biought  also  cakes  of  a  kind 
of  bread  called  cassava,  which  constituted  a  princi- 
pal part  of  their  food,  and  was  afterwards  an  im- 
portant article  of  provisions  with  the   Spaniards. 
It  was  formed  from  a  great  root  called  yuca,  which 
they  cultivated  in  fields.     This  they  cut  into  small 
morsels,  which  they  grated  or  scraped  and  strained 


t,  righting 
iling  them 
o  procure 
,  from  any 
ivise  every- 
;  possessed 
aving  been 
id  up  frag- 
able  prizes, 
return,  ex- 
vere  domes- 
n,  of  which 
ange  large 
rht  for  the 
is  of  a  kind 
ted  a  princi- 
k'ards  an  im- 
Spaniards. 
yuca,  which 
Lit  into  small 
and  strained 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  13 

in  a  press,  making  a  broad  thin  cake,  which  was 
afterwards  dried  hard,  and  would  keep  for  a  long 
time,  being  steeped  in  water  when  eaten.  It  was 
insipid,  but  nourishing,  though  the  water  strained 
from  it  in  the  preparation  was  a  deadly  poison. 
There  was  another  kind  of  yuca  destitute  of  this 
poisonous  quality,  which  was  eaten  in  the  root, 
either  boiled  or  roasted, 

"  The  avarice  of  the  discoverers  was  quickly 
excited  by  the  sight  of  small  ornaments  of  gold, 
worn  by  some  of  the  natives  in  their  noses.     These 
the  latter  gladly  exchanged  for  glass  beads  and 
hawks'  bells ;  and  both  parties  exulted  in  the  bai- 
gain,  no  doubt  admiring  each  other's  simplicity. 
As  gold,  however,  was  an  object  of  royal  monop- 
oly in  all  enterprises  of  discovery,  Columbus  for- 
bade any  traffic  in  it  without  his  express  sanction; 
and  he  put  the  same  prohibition  on  the  traffic  for 
cotton,  reserving  to  the  crown  all  trade  for  it, 
wherever  it  should  be  found  in  any  quantity. 
«  He  inquired  of  the  natives  where  this  gold 


[ 


194  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

was   procured.     They   answered   him   by   sign^, 
pointing  to  the  south,  where,  he  understood  them, 
dwelt  a  king  of  such  wealth  that  he  was  served  in 
vessels  of  wrought  gold.     He  understood,  also, 
that  there  was  land  to  the  south,  the  southwest, 
and  the  northwest :  and  that  the  people  from  the 
last  mentioned  quarter  frecpiently  proceeded  to 
the  southwest  in  quest  of  gold  and  precious  stones, 
making   in    their  Avay  descents  upon  the  islands 
and  carrying  off  the  inhabitants.     Several  of  the 
natives  showed  him  scars  of  wounds  received  in 
battles  with  these  invaders.     A  great  part  of  this 
fancied  intelligence  was  self-delusion  on  the  part 
of  Columbus ;  for  he  was  under  a  spell  of  the 
imagination,  which  gave  its  own  shapes  and  colors 
to  every  object.     He  was  persuaded  that  he  had 
arrived  among  the   islands  described  by  Marco 
Polo,  as  Ijing  opposite  to  Cathiy,  in  the  Chinese 
Sea,  and  he  construed  everything  to  accord  with 
the  account  given  of  those  opulent  regions.     Thus 
the  enemies  which  the  natives  spoke  of  as  coming 


)od  them, 
served  in 
)od,  also, 
outhwest, 

from  the 
needed  to 
lus  stones, 
le  islands 
ral  of  the 
jceived  in 
art  of  this 
I  the  part 
ell  of  the 
and  colors 
it  he  had 
by  Marco 
e  Chinese 
icord  with 
ns.     Thus 

as  coming 


COL  UMB  us  THE  NA  VWA  TOli.  1^5 

from  the  northwest  he  concluded  to  be  the  people 
of  the  mainland  of  Asia,  the  subjects  of  the  great 
Khan  of  Tartary,  who  were  represented  by  the 
Venetian  traveller  as  accustomed  to  make  war 
upon  the  islands,  and  to  enslave  their  inhabitants. 
The  country  to  the  south,  aboundhig  in  gold, 
could  be -no  other  than  the   famous   island  of 
Cipango ;  and  the  king  who  was  seived  out  of 
vessels  of  gold  must  be  the  monarch  whose  mag- 
nificent city  and  gorgeous  palace,  covered  with 
plates  of  gold,  had  been  extolled  in  such  splendid 
terms  by  Marco  Polo." 

The  smallness  of  San  Salvador  made  Columbus 
deem  it  not  worth  colonizing,  and  having  taken 
in  a  fresh  supply  of  water  they  set  sail  once  more. 
But  he  was  at  a  loss  which  way  to  steer,  although 
he  had  no  doubt  but  that  he  "  was  among  the 
islands  described  by  Marco  Polo  as  studding  the 
vast  sea  of  Chin  or  China,  and  lying  at  a  great  dis- 
tance from  the  mainland.     These,  according  to  the 
Venetian,  amounted  to  between  seven  and  eight 


1  <J0  COL L'Mli US  THE  AM  VIGA TOR. 

thousand,  and  abounded  with  drugs  and  spices 
and  odoriferous  trees,  together  with  gold  and 
silver." 

Within  sight  on  every  hand  were  other  islands 
similar  to  San  Salvador,  which  the  natives  asserted 
were,  like  it,  green  and  luxuriously  fertile  and 
populous.  About  fifteen  miles  away  was  one 
island,  larger  than  San  Salvador,  Avhose  inhabi- 
tants were  asserted  to  be  richer  than  their  neigh- 
bors, wearing  gold  ornaments  in  profusion.  The 
magic  name  of  "  gold  "  was  enough  to  fire  every 
heart  on  board  the  fleet;  Columbus  himself, 
believing  that  he  was  among  the  opulent  Indies, 
was  dazzled  at  the  idea  of  exploring  so  rich  an 
archipelago.  The  next  day  they  anchored  off  the 
second  island,  which  was  also  annexed  to  Spain, 
and  which  Columbus  named  Santa  Maria  de  le 
Conception.  The  same  scenes  were  repeated  that 
had  occurred  at  San  Salvador,  and  the  natives  were 
found  to  be  in  similar  circumstances  and  of  the 
same  dispositions — utterly  devoid  of  all  that  the 


I 


nd  spices 
^old   and 


iT  islands 
s  asserted 
irtile  and 
was  one 
le  inhati- 
}ir  neigh- 
on.  The 
[lie  every 

himself, 
it  Indies, 
)  rich  an 
•ed  off  the 
to  Spain, 
ria  de  le 
Bated  that 
tives  were 
id  of  the 

that  the 


VOLUMIU-S  THE  yAVIGATOli.  H'' 

Spaniards  regarded  as  wealth,  and  extremely  gen- 
tle and  simple.     There  was  no  gold  and  no  sign 

of  any. 

Upwards  of  two  weeks  w^re  spent  l.y  Columbus 
cruising  about  among  these  islands  of  the  Bahama 
group,  seeking  in  vain  t.i  find  an  imaginary  mon- 
arch  and  a  clue  to  the  riches  which  he  was  posi- 
tive existed  in  this   region.     One  delusion  after 
another  was  swept  away,  but  others  rose  t.>  fill 
their  places.     A  few  gold  trinkets  were  found  on 
the  natives,  and  on  (piesti..ning  them  as  to  where 
this  was  procured  Columbus  learned  of  a  great 
island  to  the  south  called  Cuba ;  his  own  hopes 
and  wishes  so  colored  the  accounts  ..f  the  simple 
people  that  he  "understood  it  to  be  of  great  ex- 
tent, abounding  in   gold  and  pearls  and  spices, 
carrying  on  an  extensive  commence  in  these  arti- 
cles in  large  merchant  ships."     The  natives  in 
speaking  of  this  island  used  the  word   "  Cubana- 
can-,"  they  merely  meant  "the  center  of  Cuba;" 
but  here  was  the  talisman  which  Columbus  sought ! 


tl 


K 


198  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIUATOU. 

This  must  be  the  huul  of  Kuhhii  Khan,  the  rich 
Cipango  of  Marco  Pok)  and  other  romancers.  So, 
on  October  24,  every  sail  was  spread  to  the  breeze, 
the  fleet  steered  west-south-west,  and  after  three 
days'  saihno-,  on  tlie  niornino-  of  October  28th, 
came  in  sight  of  Cuba,  then  as  now,  the  Pearl 
of  the  Antilles. 

But  here  also  they  foxmd  no  gold,  nor  pearls, 
nor  spicer .  When  they  showed  the  natives  sam- 
ples of  cinnamon  and  dye-woods  they  declared  that 
these  things  grew  only  to  the  southward.  Con- 
vinced, however,  that  he  was  on  the  sliores  of 
Cipango,  Columlms  pushed  inland  by  way  of  a 
river  to  find  the  king,  named  Guancanagari,  by 
whom  he  was  received  most  cordially — but  he  was 
not  the  great,  the  all-powerful  Grand  Khan. 

However,  two  conunodities  in  use  by  the  natives 
came  to  the  notice  of  the  Spaniards,  though  at 
first  they  accounted  them  of  no  value.  The  first 
was  the  potato,  and  the  second  was  tobacco  ;  the 
last,  "  commercially  speaking,  proved  more  pro- 


the  rich 
lers.  So, 
le  hreeze, 
fter  three 
3er  28th, 
the  Pearl 

or  pearls, 
ives  sam- 
lared  that 
rd.  Con- 
shores  of 
way  of  a 
agari,  by 
)ut  he  was 
Lhan. 

;he  natives 
though  at 
The  first 
lacco ;  the 
more  pro- 


COL  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOR.  199 

ductive  to  the  Spanish  crown  than  all  the  gold 
mines  of  the  Indies." 

While  sojourning  on  the  coast  of  Cuba,  Martm 
Alonzo  Pinzon  deserted  with  the  Phitn.     He  had 
heard  from  the  natives  of  a  certain  island  whence 
all  the  gold  was  said  to  come,  and  hoped  to  fore- 
stall Columbus  in  the  discovery  of  this  El  Dorado. 
Thus  early  in  the  history  of  the  Spanish  dominion 
in  the  New  World  did  the  greed  for  gold  manifest 
itself      Pinzon  did  secure  a  large  amount  of  the 
preciousmetalbybarter;onehalfhekeptforhim- 

self ,  the  rest  he  divided  among  his  crew  to  secure 
their  silence.     Here,  also,  the  admiral's  ship,  the 
Santa  Maria,  was  wrecked  on  a  reef  through  dis- 
obedience of  orders   on  the  part   of   her   pilot. 
With  her  timbers  Columbus  buUt  a  fort,  which  he 
called  La  Navidad,  having  determined  to  leave  a 
colony  in  Cuba.     This  he  did,  entrusting  its  care 
to  a  small  band  of  his  followers,  whom  he  com- 
mended to  the  care  of  the  good  king  Guacanagari. 
The  admiral  then  shifted  his  flag  to  the  Nina,  the 
only  vessel  left  to  the  admiral. 


T 


200 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Columbus  never  en- 
tirely circumnavigated  Cuba,  and  to  the  day  of  his 
death  supposed  that  it  was  a  part  of  the  mainland 
of  America ! 

Naturally  Columbus  was  anxious  to  return  to 
Spain,  to  announce  his  triumph.     His  fleet  was 
reduced  in  strength,  and  his  remaining  vessel  was 
badly  strained.     So,  after  making  such  repairs  as 
were  possible,  the  admiral  set  sail  for  Spain  on  the 
4th  of  January,,  1493,  taking  several  natives  with 
him  to  exhibit  to  the  Old  World.     Scarcely  had 
the  anchor  been  weighed,  however,  when  the  Pinta 
hove  in  sight,  which  was  all  the  more  welcome 
since  the  Nina  was  the  smallest  of  the  fleet.     Pin- 
zon  explained  his  desertion  on  the  plea  that  he  had 
been  forced  to  part  company  by  stress  of  weather, 
and  Columbus  accepted  his  excuses,  though  he  did 
not  believe  them.     Some  writers  have  thought  it 
more  than  probable  that  Pinzon,  in  possession  of 
private  information,  had  been  off  on  a  little  search 
on  his  own  account. 


never  en* 
day  of  his 
mainland 


return  to 
fleet  was 
vessel  was 
repairs  as 
ain  on  the 
tives  with 
ircely  had 
the  Pinta 
>  welcome 
eet.  Pin- 
liat  he  had 
i  weather, 
igh  he  did 
bhought  it 
^session  of 
ttle  search 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  20t 

They  coasted  along  the  island  of  Hispaniola,  or 
Hayti,  as  far  as  the  Bay  of  Samana,  and  at  last, 
on  the  sixteenth  of  January,  left  this  bay  home- 
ward bound,  although  the  admiral  deviated  from 
his  course  at  first  in  the  hope  of  finding  the  island 
of  Babeque,  peopled  with  Amazons,  described  by 
Marco  Polo,  of  which  he  had  understood  the  natives 
of  Haytitogivehimintelligence.    Such  a  discovery 
would  be,  he  considered,  a  conclusive  proof  of  the 
identity  of  his  new  country  with  Marco  Polo's 
Indies,  and  when  four  natives  offered  to  act  as  his 
guides  he  thought  it  worth  while  to  steer  (in  the 
direction  of  Martinique)  in  quest  of  the  f.Mlous 
Amazonians.     But  the  breeze  blew  towards  Spain ; 
home-sickness  took  possession  of  the  crews;  mur- 
murs  arose  at  the  prolongation  of  the  voyage 
among  the  currents  and   reefs  of  those  strange 
seas;  and,  in  deference  to  the  universal  wish  of 
his  companions,  Columbus  soon  abandoned  all  idea 
of  further  discovery,  and  resumed  his  course  for 
•    Europe. 


m 


•]  I 

pi 


l2(fj  COLVMin's  rilK  XAVIGATOIl. 

"  At  first  the  v<)ya<;e  was  tranquil  eiH)Ujj:li, 
thouuh  the  adverse  trade-winds  and  the  bad  sail- 
in«^-  of  the  J'iiifd  retarded  the  pr()<>ress  of  both 
vessels.  But  on  the  twelfth  of  February  a  storm 
overtook  them,  and  became  nu)re  and  more  furious, 
until  on  the  fourteenth  it  rose  to  a  hurricane, 
before  which  Pinzon's  vessel  could  only  drift  help- 
lessly, while  the  jVina  was  able  to  set  .-  dose- 
reefed  foresiiil,  which  ke})t  her  from  being  l.uried 
hi  the  trough  of  the  sea.  In  the  evening-  both 
caravels  were  scudding  under  bare  poles,  and  when 
darkness  fell,  and  the  signal  light  of  the  Pint  a 
gleamed  farther  and  farther  off,  through  the  blind- 
ing spray,  until  at  last  it  coidii  be  seen  no  more, 
when  his  panic-stricken  crew  gave  themselves  up 
to  despair,  as  the  winds  howled  louder  and  louder, 
and  the  seas  burst  over  his  frail  vessel — then,  in- 
deed, without  a  single  skilled  navigator  to  advise 
or  to  aid  him,  Columbus  must  have  felt  himself 
alone  with  the  tempest  and  the  night.  But  his 
brave  heart  bore  him  up,  and  his  wonderful  ca- 


-trr"-.'  •.'-.-?.';■  zr:vn:- f.Zii'^--i 


-^.s^'-Tj«^--.-^V^Wa^^' 


I  bad  sail- 
i  of  both 
V  a  storm 
e  furious, 
lurricaue, 
hift  belp- 
;  i),  I'lose- 
iig  lau'ied 
liug  both 
and  when 
hf  P'mtd 
the  blind- 
no  more, 
iselves  up 
id  louder, 
-then,  in- 
to advise 
It  himself 
But  his 
derf  ul  ca- 


c,„.r...«r»  rat- -V.1  .■.(.•.»"'■•■  2"-> 

,„,,i.v  fo,.  aevisin.  CKpeaients  „„  s,ul,l..n  .u,e. 
ieneies  ,li„  ,...t  f„.«>Ue  Uh,,.     A.  the  st„.os  «^ 

1  •   i.      1-/1  f<«  tike  on  i«»ar(l  ai 
which  €..hu..hus  h,.a  ."tcnawl  to  t.,ke 
,Ue  A„u>.,n-.«,  Ul-a.      ■Falthe™„,t.vc.a»ks 
,,i„,.ate,-.M,..s„ia,-HuaU.tth™««veasbal- 

,.,t  •   un    exHieu.   »hi.a,    has   SJV..""    commo" 
:,„:„gh„«.v,hut.hu.hthe„«aM-'-'-'y""S'- 

''''D,,,ingtl,e  height  ,,f. he  st.,v„,Coh,n,b«s  ana 
,,U  «ew.  attev  the  „,a„nev  „f  the  th„e,  .uaae  a 

™,v  t,.  the  Vhgh,  that  they  .ouW  all  «o  ,n  ,,0- 

f..„t  t.,  the  tiist  shrill.,  they  met  shouU 
irriiiiage  on  tu'itt"  "le  niM 

Ly  W  l,evn.itt.a  to  -each  huul.     Th,s  vow  wa» 
„„U,„ive  of  some  nnlookea-fo,.  co„se.,«enees  as 
wiU  he  seen.     AtV.  the  /•."'"  ai»a,,-«'  '1- 
thought  that  the  whole  history  of  his  a.seovevy 
leaonthesafetyotthe..aiUV;.«mieaCoU.m. 

h„s  with  aismay,  so  he  pennea  a  hiief  account  o 
whathehaaaecomphshea,anasealea,tup.na 

stout  cask,  which  was  eommittea  to  the  waves. 


fl 


■t 


i»(  1 1  (JOL  UM  It  US  THE  XA  VKi.  1  TO  I!. 

Tn  1858,  says  Sir  Arthur  Helps,  a  paragrapli  went 
the  rounds  of  the  Euirhsh  press  affirmino-  that  this 
cask  liad  been  picked  up  by  tlie  ship  Ch'nftaln 
on  the  coast  of  Alrica,  but  the  story  was  a  hoax. 
After  nearly  a  week  of  fierce  tempests,  the  bat- 
tered little  Xhm  succeeded  in  reaching-  tluj  island 
of  St.  Mary's,  in  the  Azores.     On  the  followino- 

IS 

day  the  ship's  comj)any  proceeded  on  shore  to 
fulfil  their  vow  to  the  Virgin  at  a  small  hermitage 
or  chapel  on   the  coast.     One  half  of  the  crew 
went  on  shore,  barefoot  and  in  their  shirts,  Co- 
lumbus remaining-  on  board  with  the  other  half  to 
await  their  return.     While  the  first  party  were  at 
their  devotions,  the  Portuguese  Governor,  Casta- 
neda,  surrounded  them,  and  made  them  all  pris- 
oners.  Supposuig-  that  this  action  proceeded  from 
the  Portuguese  hostility  to  himself,  Columbus  was 
much  perplexed.     The  next  day  the  weather  be- 
came so  tempestuous  that  they  were  driven  from 
their  anchorage,  and  obliged  to  stand  to  sea  to- 
ward the  island  of  St.  Michael.     For  two  days  the 


L'J^gL"]'!!! .' J '  W-'V-J-' 


graph  went 
iii»-  that  this 
>  C/i!<ffaln 
vas  a  hoax, 
its,  the  l)at- 

the  island 
'  f'oUowinj^ 
1  shore  to 

hermitage 
f  the  crew 
shirts,  Co- 
her  half  to 
iy  were  at 
nor,  Casta- 
n  all  pris- 
eded  from 
imbus  was 
eatlier  be- 
iven  from 
to  sea  to- 
0  days  the 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOB.  20o 

ship  .ornnued  beating  about  in  great  peril,  half 
of  her  ciew  being  detained  on  shore,  the  greater 
part  of  those  on  board  being  landsmen  and  In- 
dians, ahuost  eqnally  nseless  in  difficnlt  naviga- 
tion.    Fortunately,  although  the  waves  ran  high, 
there  ^vere  none  of  those  cross  seas  which  had 
recently   prevailed,    otherwise,   being    so    feebly 
manned,  the  caravel  could  scarcely  have   lived 
through  the  stonn. 

"  On  the  evening  of  the  22d,  the  weather  having 
moderated,  Columbus  returned  to  his  anchorage 
at  St.  Mary's.     Shortly  after  his  arrival,  a  boat 
came  off,  bringing  two  priests  and  a  notary.     After 
a  cautious  parley  and  an  assurance  of  safety,  they 
came  on  board,  and  requested  the   sight  of  the 
papers  of  Columbus,  on  the  part  of  Castaneda, 
assuring  him  that  it  was  the   disposition  of  the 
governor  to  render  him  every  service  in  his  power, 
provided  he  really  sailed  in  the  service  of  the 
Spanish  sovereigns.      Columbus   supposed    it    a 
mancBuvre  of  Castaneda  to  cover  a  retreat  from 


^jgga'frf.ij  .^u.'t<9..r^ 


3g"ny^^-.'g3r.Ti-r-^tgi,;  ry.'.Tr- 


200  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

the  hostile  position  he  had  assumed  ;  restraining 
his  indignation,  however,  and  expressing  his  thanks 
for  the  friendly  disposition  of  the  governor,  he 
showed  his  letters  of  commission,  which  satisfied 
the  priests  and  tlie  notary.  On  the  following 
morning  the  boat  and  mariners  were  liberated. 
The  latter,  during  their  detention,  had  collected 
information  from  the  inhabitants  which  elucidated 
the  conduct  of  Castaneda. 

"  The  king  of  Portugal,  jealous  lest  the  expedi- 
tion of  Columbus  might  interfere  with  his  own 
discoveries,  had  sent  orders  to  liis  commanders  of 
islands  and  distant  ports  to  seize  and  detain  him 
wherever  he  should  be  met  with.     In  compliance 
with   these  orders,  Castaneda  had,  in   the   first 
ijistance,  hoped  to  surprise  Columbus  in  the  chapel, 
and,  failing  in  that  attempt,  had  intended  to  get 
him  in  his  power  by  stratagem,  but  was  deterred 
by    finding   him   on  his  guard.     Such  was  the 
first  reception  of  the  admiral  on  his  return  to  the 
Old  World,  an  earnest  of  the  crosses  and  troubles 


lid 


B. 

;  restraining 
ng  his  thanks 
governor,  he 
hich  satisfied 
he  following 
>re  liberated, 
lad  collected 
ich  elucidated 

■st  the  expedi- 
with  his  own 
)mmanders  of 
d  detain  him 
[n  compliance 

in  the  first 
;  in  the  chapel, 
tended  to  get 

was  deterred 
Such  was  the 
1  return  to  the 
;s  and  troubles 


COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVIGATOR.    .  207 

with  which  he  was  to  be  requited  throughout  the 

remainder  of  his  life." 

On  the  twenty-fourth  of  February  the  iS^/na  again 
steered  for  Spain,  and  after  encountering  another 
fearful  gale  came  to  anchor  in  the  Tagus  on  the 
fourth   of   March.     To   the    King   of   Portugal 
Columbus,  being  in  his  dominions,  sent  a  despatch 
announcing  his  arrival,  and  received  a  pressing 
invitation  to  come  to  the  court.     This  he  accepted, 
as  he  says, 'Mn  order  m)t  to  show  mistrust,  al- 
though he  disliked  it,"  and  the  highest  honors 
were  showered  upon  the  gallant  navigator. 

Columbus  wisely  declined  the  olfer  of  a  safe- 
conduct  to  Spanish  soil  by  land,  and  on  the  13th 
of  March  left  the  Tagus  for  the  harbor  of  Palos, 
which  he  reached  on  the  15th-again  on  a  Fri- 
day. 

«  The  enthusiasm  and  excitement  aroused  by 

the  success  of  the  expedition  were  unbounded. 
At  Palos,  especially,  where  few  families  had  not 
a  personal  interest  in  some  of  the  band  of  ex- 


■m 


208  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

plorers,  the  little  community  was  filled  with  ex- 
traordinary delight.     Not  an  individual  member 
of  the  expedition  but  was  elevated  into  a  hero— not 
a  debtor  or  a  criminal  whom  the  charter  of  im- 
munity had  led,  rather  than  bear  the  ills  he  had, 
to  fly  to  others  that  he  knew  not  of — but  had  ex- 
piated his   social  misdeeds,   and  had  become  a 
person  of  consideration  and  an  object  of  enthu- 
siasm.   The  court  was  at  Barcelona.    Immediately 
on  his  arrival  Columbus  despatched  a  letter  to 
the  king  and  queen,  stating  in  general  terms  the 
success  of  his  project ;  and  proceeded  forthwith 
to  present  himself  in  person  to  their  highnesses. 
Almost  at  the  same  time,  the  P'mta,  which  had 
been  separated  from  her  consort  in  the  first  storm 
which  they  encountered,  made  the  port  of  Bayonne, 
whence  Pinzon  had  forwarded  a  letter  to  the 
sovereigns,  announcing  'his'  discoveries,  and  pro- 
posing to  come  to  court  and  give  full  intelligence 
as  to  them.     Columbus,  whom  he  probably  sup- 
posed to  have  perished  at  sea,  he  seems  to  have 


id  with  ex* 
al  member 
I  hero — not 
i-ter  of  im- 
ills  he  had, 
but  had  ex- 
L  become  a 
t  of  enthu- 
mmediately 
a  letter  to 
1  terms  the 
d  forthwith 
hijjhnesses. 
,  which  had 
le  first  storm 
of  Bayonne, 
jtter  to  the 
ies,  and  pro- 
intelligence 
■obably  sup- 
ems  to  have 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  209 

ignored  utterly,  and  when  he  received  a  reply 
from  the  king  and  queen,  directing  him  not  to  go 
to  court  without  the  admiral,  chagrin  and  grief 
overcaiue  him  to  such  an  extent  that  he  took  to 
his  bed;  and  if  any  man  ever  died  from  mental 
distress  and  a  broken  heart,  that  man  was  Martm 

Alonzo  Pinzon." 

Columbus  was  now  the  foremost  man  in  all  the 
Spanish  peninsula,   and,   indeed,   in   the   whole 
world.     "  The  court  prepared  a  solemn  reception 
for  the  admiral  at  Barcelona,  where  the  people 
poured  out  in  such  numbers  to  see  him  that  the 
streets  could  not  contain   them.     A  triumphal 
procession  like  his  the  world  had  not  yet  seen. 
The  captives  that  accompanied  a  Roman  general's 
car  might  be  sirai.ge  barbarians  of  a  tribe  from 
which  Rome  had   not  before  had  slaves.     But 
barbarians  were  m>t  unknown  creatures.     Here, 
with  Columbus,  were  beings   of  a  new  world. 
Here  was  the   conqueror,  not   of  man,  but  of 
nature,  not  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  of  the  fearful 


n 


■;■  I 
I  I 
i!      I 


J 


\ 


I  ~ 


fK    L^ 


p^. 


t<v 


CijK 


i       = 


kSl 


COLUMBUS  THE  2^AVI(iATOli.  211 

unknown,  of  the  elements,  and,  more  than  all,  of 
the   prejudices  of  centuries.     We   may  imagine 
the  rumors  that  must  Ik  ve  gone  hefore  his  com- 
ing.     And  now  he  was   there.     Ferdinand  and 
Isahella  had  their  thrr,nes  placed  in  the  presence 
of  the  assembled  court.     Columbus  approached 
the  monarchs,  and  then,  '  his  countenance  beam- 
ing with  modest  satisfaction,'  knelt  at  the  king's 
feet,  and  begged  leave  to  kiss  their  highnesses' 
hands.     They  gave  their  hands ;  then  they  bade 
him  rise,  and   be  seated   before   them.     He  re- 
coimted  briefly  the  events  of  his  voyage— a  story 
more  interesting  than  the  tale  told  in  the  court  of 
Dido  by  .Eneas,  like  whom  he  had  almost  perished 
close  to  home— and  he  concluded  his  unpretend- 
ing narrative  by  showing  what  new  things  and 
creatures  he  had  brought  with  him.     Ferdinand 
and  Isabella  fell  oh  their  knees,  giving  thanks  to 
God  with  many  teai-s ;  and  then  the  choristers  of 
the  royal  chapel  closed  the  grand  ceremonial  by 
singing  the  '  Te  Deum.'     Afterwards  men  walked 


r 


,. 


212 


COLUMBUS  THE  yAriGATOR. 


home  grave  and  yet  happy,  having  seen  the  sym- 
bol of  a  great  work,  something  to  be  thonght  over 
for  many  a  generation." 

The  agreen\ent  between  Cohimbus  and  their 
Cathohc  Majesties  was  carried  out  to  the  letter ; 
the  title  of  "  Don  "  was  bestowed  on  him,  together 
with  a  special  coat  of  arms.  The  sovereigns  ap- 
plied to  the  Pope  for  a  grant  of  the  lands  to  be 
discovered  in  the  "  Indies,"  and,  to  appease  the 
rival  thrones  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  "  the  Pontiff 
divided  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  Indian 
sovereignties  by  a  line  drawn  from  pole  to  pole 
one  hundred  leagues  west  of  the  Azores  and  the 
Cape  de  Verde  Islands." 

In  his  "  Songs  of  History  "  Hezekiah  Butter- 
worth  has  thrillingly  described  the  triumph  of 
Columbus  under  the  title,  "  The  Thanksgiving  for 
America."     We  give  the  poem  entire  : 

I. 

'Twas  night  upon  the  Dniro. 
The  risen  moon  above  the  shadowy  tower 


the  sym- 
iight  over 

ind  their 
16  letter ; 
,  together 
•eigns  ap- 
nds  to  be 
pease  the 
le  Pontiff 
e  Indian 
e  to  pole 
}  and  the 

h  Biitter- 
iumph  of 
gfiving  for 


COLUUBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

Of  Comares  shone,  the  silver  sun  of  night, 

And  poured  its  lustrous  splendors  through  the  halls 

Of  the  Alhambra. 

The  air  was  breathless, 
Yet  filled  with  ceaseless  songs  of  nightingales, 
And  odors  sweet  of  falling  orange  blooms  ; 
The  misty  lamps  were  burning  odorous  oil ; 
The  uncurtained  balconies  were  full  of  life, 
And  laugh  and  song,  and  airy  castanets, 
And  gay  guitars. 

Afar  Sierras  rose, 
Domes,  towers,  and  pinnacles,  over  royal  heiglits. 
Whose  crowns  were  gemmed  with  stars. 

The  Generaliflfe, 
The  summer  palace  of  old  Moorish  kings 
In  vanished  years,  stood  sentinel  afar, 
A  pile  of  shade,  as  brighter  grew  the  moon, 
Impearling  fountain  sprays,  and  shimmering 
On  ?eas  of  citron  orcliards  cool  and  green. 
And  terraces  embowered  with  vernal  vines 
And  breathing  flowers. 

In  shadowy  arcades 
Were  loitering  priests,  and  here  and  there 
A  water-carrier  passed  with  tinkling  bells. 

There  came  a  peal  of  horns. 
That  woke  Granada,  city  of  delights. 
From  its  long  moonlight  reverie.    Again  :- 
The  suave  lute  ceased  to  play,  and  castanet ,    , 
The  wate^-bearer  stopped,  and  ceased  his  song 
The  wandering  troubadour. 

Then  rent  the  air 
Another  joyous  peal,  and  oped  the  gates 


218 


214  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

And  entered  there  a  train  of  cavaliers, 
Their  hehnets  glittering  in  the  low  red  moon. 

The  streets  and  balconies 
All  danee<l  with  wonderini,'  life.     Tlic  train  moved  on. 
And  filled  the  air  again  the  horns  melodions, 
.Vnd  loud  the  lieralds  shouted  :— 

"  Thy  name,   O  Feniamhi,   tliromjli  ""   iKith  nhall   hi; 

xiiinuleil, 
C^ilitmlnm  has  trlunipheil,  lihfoes  (ire  confounded."' 

A  silence  followed, 
CouUl  such  tidings  be  '.'    Men  heard  and  whispered, 
Kyes  glanced  to  eyes,  feet  uncertain  moved, 
\ever  on  mortal  ears  had  fallen  words 
Like  these.     And  was  the  earth  a  star  ? 

On  marched  the  cavaliers, 
And  pealed  again  the  horn,  and  again  cried 
The  heralds  :— 

"  Thij  name  IsahiUii.  tliromjh  all  earth  shall  he  sounded  ; 
Volumhus  has  triiimpheil,  his  foes  are  confounded  !  " 

All  hearts  were  thrilled. 
"  Isabella  ! "     That  name  breathed  faith  and  hope 
And  lofty  aim.    Emotion  swayed  the  crowds  ; 
Tears  flowed,  and  acclamations  rose,  and  rushed 
Tlie  wondering  multitudes  towards  the  plaza. 
"  Isiibella  !    Isabella  !"  it  tilled 
The  air— that  one  word  "  Isabella  !  " 

And  now 
'Tis  noon  of  night.    The  moon  hangs  near  the  earth— 
A  golden  moon  in  golden  air  ;  the  peaks 


COLUMBUS  TUE  XAVIGATOIi. 


215 


Like  silver  tents  of  shadowy  sentinels 
Glint  'gainst  the  sky.    The  plaza  gioanis  and  surges 
Like  a  sea.     The  joyful  horns  peal  forth  again, 
And  falls  a  hush,  and  cry  the  heralds  :— 
"  Tlnj  name,  Imbella,  shall  be  praised  by  all  the  tiring  ; 
Haste,  haste  to  Barcelona,  and  join  the  Great  Thanks- 
yitingr' 

What  nights  had  seen  Granada  ! 
Yet  never  one  like  this  !    The  moon  went  down, 
And  fell  the  wings  of  shadow,  yet  the  streets 
Still  swarmed  with  people  hurrying  on  and  on. 

n. 

Morn  came, 
With  bursts  of  nightingales  and  quivering  fires. 
The  cavaliers  rode  forth  towards  Barcelona. 
The  city  followed,  throbbing  with  delight. 
The  happy  troubadour,  the  nuileteer. 
The  craftsmen  all,  the  boy  and  girl,  and  e'en 
The  mothor— twas  a  soft  spring  morn  ; 
The  fairest  skies  of  earth  those  April  morns 
In  Andalusia.    Long  was  the  journey, 
But  the  land  was  flowers,  and  nights  were  not, 
And  birds  sang  all  the  hours,  and  breezes  cool 
Fanned  all  the  ways  along  the  sea. 

The  roads  were  filled 
With  hurrying  multitudes.    For  well  'twas  known 
That  he  the  conqueror,  viceroy  of  the  Isles, 
Was  riding  from  Seville  to  meet  the  king. 
And  what  were  conquerors  before  to  him  whose  eye 
Had  seen  the  world  a  star,  and  found  the  star  a  world  ? 


-p^  ^^^ 


^:^'AW'J!'--..--t'-^^h>.i^rt4^'''''t^'-''°^"^^-'-^^^ 


216  COIAMIsr.-i  THE  yAVlUAWU. 

Oiioi'  li'>  had  walkod 
Thi>  sclf-sunc  ways,  rootlfss  and  poor  aii(\  sad, 
A  be""ar  at  old  coiivciit  doors,  and  heard 
The  very  children  jeer  liini  in  the  streets, 
And  ate  his  enist,  and  made  his  roofless  l)e(l 
I'lion  tlie  flowers  besiiU-  Ids  boy,  and  prayed, 
And  found  in  trust  a  pillow  radiant 
With  dreams  iiuiuortal.    Now  ? 

III. 

That  w  as  a  glorious  day 
That  dawned  on  Bari'elona.     Haiiners  filled 
The  thronginu  towers,  the  old  bells  ninj;.  and  blasts 
Of  lordly  trumpets  seemed  to  reaeh  the  sky 
Cerulean.     All  Spain  had  gathered  then-. 
And  waited  tliere  his  eomiiig  ;  Castiliau  knights, 
(Jay  eavaliers.  hidalgiH  young,  and  e'en  the  old 
Tuissant  grandees  of  far  Aragon, 
With  glittering  mail,  and  waving  plumes,  and  all 
The  peasant  multitude  with  bannerets 
And  eharuis  and  flowers. 

Beneath  pavilions 
Of  broeades  of  gold,  the  Court  had  met. 
The  dual  crowns  of  I.eon  old  and  proud  Castile 
There  waited  him,  the  peasant  mariner. 

The  trumpets  waited 
Near  the  open  gates  ;  the  minstrels  young  and  fair 
Upon  the  tapestries  and  arrased  walls. 
And  everywhere  from  all  the  happy  provinces 
The  wandering  troubadours. 

Afar  was  heard 
A  cry,  a  long  acclaim.    Afar  was  seen 


1  blasts 


;lits, 


uld 


111  all 


I  lie 


ml  fair 


es 


COL  UMB  ra  THE  NA  VIC  A  TOU.  21 7 

A  proiul  a».l  stately  stee.l  with  nod.linf?  plunios, 
Bridled  with  gold,  whose  rider  stately  rode, 
And  still  afar  a  long  and  sinuous  train 
( )f  silvery  cavaliers.     A  shout  arose, 
And  all  the  .-ity,  all  the  vales  and  hills, 
With  silvery  trumpets  rung. 

lie  came,  the  Genoese, 
With  reverent  lo..k  and  calm  and  lofty  mien, 
And  saw  the  wondering  eyes  and  heard  the  cries 

And  trumpet  peals,  as  one  who  fallowed  still 

Some  Guide  unseen. 

Before  his  steed 

Crowned  In.lians  marched  with  lowly  faces. 

And  wondered  at  the  new  world  that  they  saw  ; 

G.y  parrots  shouted  from  their  goUl-bound  arms, 
Vnd  from  their  crests  swept  airy  plumes.    The  sun 

Shone  full  in  splendor  on  the  scene,  and  here 

The  old  and  new  world  met.    But— 

IV. 

nark  :  the  heralds  ! 
How  they  thrill  all  hearts  and  till  all  eyes  with  tears  ! 
The  very  air  seems  throbbing  with  delight  ; 
Hark  '.  hark  !  the  cry,  in  chorus  all  they  cry  :- 

-  ,1  C^tilla  y  <t  Lron,  h  CastiUa  y  h  Leon, 
JIueto  mitndo  <lio  Colon  .'"' 

Every  heart  now  beats  with  his, 
The  stately  rider  on  wlios.  calm  face  shines 
V  heaven-born  inspiration.    Still  the  shout  : 
»  Nuevo  mundo  din  Colon !  "  how  it  rings! 


C  vliuiibliiii  Miuitiiiii  1(1,  >li  ■^(■.iiii  •!  iiii  -III--"  ill  Miijjiirri'.-i. 


V- 


j^'y^ 


iijarri  .N. 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOU. 


210 


From  wall  to  wall,  from  knights  and  cavaliers, 
And  from  the  multitudinous  throngs, 
A  mighty  chorus  of  the  vales  and  hills  ! 
"yt  Citstilla  y  ii  Leon!" 

And  now  the  golden  steed 
Draws  near  the  throne  ;  the  crowds  mov    hack,  and 

rise 

The  reverent  crowns  of  Leon  and  Castile  ; 

Anil  stands  before  the  tear-liUcd  eyes  of  all 

The  multitudes  the  form  of  Isabella. 

Semiramis?    Zenobia?    What  were  they 

To  her,  as  met  her  eyes  again  the  eyes  of  him 
« Into  whose  hands  her  love  a  year  before 

Emptied  its  jewels  ! 

He  told  his  tale  : 

The  untried  deep,  the  green  Sargasso  Sea, 
The  varyiny  compass,  the  affrighted  crews, 
The  hymn  they  sung  on  every  doubtful  eve, 
The  sweet  hymn  to  the  Virgin.    How  there  came 
The  land  birds  singing,  and  the  drifting  weeds. 
How  broke  the  morn  on  fair  San  Salvador, 
How  the  Te  Deiim  on  that  isle  was  sung, 
And  how  the  cross  was  lifted  in  the  name 
Of  Leon  and  Castile.    And  then  he  turned 
His  face  towards  Heaven,  "  O  Queen  !    O  Queen  ! 
There  kingdoms  wait  the  triumphs  of  the  cross  I " 


Then  Isabella  rose. 
With  face  illumined  :  then  overcome  with  joy 
She  sank  upon  her  knees,  and  king  and  court 


220  COLCMRUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

Anil  nobles  rose  and  knelt  beside  her, 
And  followed  them  the  sobbing  multitude  ; 
Then  i-anie  a  burst  of  joy,  a  ehorus  grand, 
And  mighty  antiphon — 

"  llVyovf/.'"'  Ilicp,  Lonl,  <iwt,  Lord,  tivknmvU'iUjo  thee, 
And  ifiee  tlici'  i/lori/  .'—Huh/,  Holy,  Ilitlij  !  " 

Loud  and  long  it  swelled  and  thrilled  the  air, 
That  lirst  Thanksgiving  for  the  new-found  world  ! 

VL 

The  twilight  roses  bloomed 
In  the  far  skies  o'er  Barcelona. 
The  gentle  Indians  came  and  stood  before 
The  throne,  and  smiled  the  queen,  and  said  : 
"  I  see  my  gems  again."     The  shadow  fell, 
And  trilled  all  night  beneath  the  moon  and  stars 
The  happy  nightingales. 

During  the  festivities  at  Barcelona  the  nine 
Indians  brought  home  by  Cohimbus  were  baptized. 
Shortly  afterward  one  of  them  died,  and  the 
Catholic  theologians  of  the  time  grjively  an- 
nounced that  he  was  the  first  of  his  race  to  enter 
heaven  ! 

Thus  ended  the  first  voyage  of  Columbus,  which 
gave  a  new  continent  to  civilization,  as  a  result  of 


I'lfdup  llifc, 


world  I 


stars 

I  the  nine 
K>e  baptized. 
I,  and  the 
jijively  an- 
tce  to  enter 

lb  us,  which 


COLUMBUS  rUE  yAVIGATOli.  "iil 

which  Cokunbus  himself  rose  to  the  svimmit  of 
his  fame  and  favor. 

"  It  is  wonderful,"  says  a  recent  Avriter,  "  how 
much  was  discovered  during  that  first  expedition. 
It  was  then    that  Columbus   found  the  potato, 
which  '  ..s  come  to  be  so  important  to  mankind, 
as  well  as  tobacco,  which  the  natives  smoked  in 
the  form  of  '  dry  weeds,  rolled  up  in  a  leaf,  which 
was  dry  also,  shaped. liked  the  paper  muskets  the 
boys  made  on  the  feast  of  Pentecost ;  and  light- 
ing one  end  of  it,  they  suck  the  r.cher,  and  absorb 
or  inhale  the  smoke.'     Of  course  there  were  novel 
fruits  and  spices,  enormous  reeds  and  gourds,  and 
cotton  so  abundant  that  in  a  single  house  12,000 
pounds  of  it  were  found  spun,  and  rolled  in  balls, 
although  it  seemed  to  be  used  for  little  but  ham- 
mocks and  women's  aprons." 


^> 


9  a  result  of 


n 


ooo 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


V. 

RESULTS    AND   REWARDS. 

"  Thus  the  whirligig  of  Timo  brings  in  his  revenges." 

Scarcely  were  the  sails  of  the  Phita  and  the 
Nina  dry  than  the  monarchs  of  Spain  commanded 
that  a  second  fleet  be  fitted  out,  with  which  to 
further  explore  the  new-found  continent,  and 
better  secure  the  same  to  their  crowns.  There 
was  need  for  haste,  for  John  the  Second,  of  Portu- 
gal, was  believed  to  be  about  to  seize  by  stratagem 
what  he  had  lost  by  timidity.  Regretting  too 
late  that  the  project  of  Columbus  had  been 
spurned  and  scoffed  at,  John  also  equipped  a  large 
force  of  ships,  the  avowed  destination  of  which 
was  Africa,  but  which  had  secret  instructions  to 
sail  Westward  Ho !  and  grab  a  goodly  slice  of  the 
so-called  Indies.  But  Ferdinand  was  a  master  of 
all  the  arts  of  intrigue,  and  he  managed  to  en- 


.-■^Hi,ii«^«l.W'.'-l.;y   ^^'>M«JBa-CTfffg|Uitfe-tl.'iM>WIJ.«V^.!gt^3C 


irenges." 

ita  and  the 
iommanded 
h  Avhich  to 
inent,  and 
ns.  There 
1,  of  Portu- 
f  stratagem 
retting  too 
had  been 
ped  a  hirge 
ti  of  which 
ructions  to 
sUce  of  the 
a  master  of 
ged  to  en- 


COL  UMB  us  THE  NA  VIGA  TOR.  2'23 

tangle  the  King  of  Portugal  in  long-drawn-out 
negotiations  conducted  by  slow-moving  embassies 
until  the  Spanish  fleet  was  weU  advanced. 

Frequently,  during  this  long  interchange  of 
international  courtesies,  the  Spanish  sovereigns 
wrote  to  Columbus,  urging  the  utmost  despatch. 
But  the  admiral  needed  no  spurring ;  he  was  too 
anxious  to  be  afloat  once  more,  with  a  goodly 
force  at  his  back,  and  on  the  way  to  further  ex- 
plore his  "  Indies." 

"  Twelve  caravels  and  five  smaller  vessels  were 
made  ready,  and  were  laden  with  horses  and  other 
animals,  and  with  plants,  seeds,  and  agricultural 
implements  for  the  cultivation  of  the  new  coun- 
tries.    Artificers  of  various  trades  were  engaged, 
and  a  qnantlty  of  merchandise  and  gaudy  trifles, 
fit  for  bartering  with  the  natives,  were  placed  on 
board.     There  was  no  need  to  press  men  into  the 
service  now;  volunteers  for  the  expedition  were 
only  too  numerous.     The  fever  for  discovery  was 
universal.     Columbus  was  confident  that  he  had 


f]' 


2tM  COLVMUni  THE  XAVlGATOti. 

been  on  the  outskirts  of  Cathay,  and  that  the 
scriptural  land  of  Ilavihih,  the  home  of  g'ohl,  was 
not  far  olf.  Untohl  riches  were  to  he  acquired, 
and  prohahly  there  was  not  one  of  the  1,500  pei- 
sons  who  took  sh'p  in  the  s(piadron  that  did  not 
anticipate  a  prodigious  fortune  as  the  reward  of 
tlie  voyage.  Nor  was  what  continued  to  l)e  the 
great  object  of  these  discoveries  luu-ared  for. 
Twelve  nussionaries,  eager  to  eidi"hten  the 
sjjiritual  darkness  of  the  western  lands,  were 
placed  under  the  charg-e  of  Bernard  Buil,  a  Bene- 
dictine monk,  who  was  specially  appointed  by  tlu 
Po})e,  in  order  to  ensure  an  authorized  teaching 
of  the  faith,  and  to  superintend  the  religious  edu- 
cation of  the  Indians.  The  instrr.ctions  to  Co- 
lumbus, dated  the21)th  of  May,  1-493,  are  the  first 
strokes  upon  that  obdurate  mass  of  colonial  diffi- 
culty which,  at  last,  by  incessant  working  of  great 
princes,  great  churchmen,  and  great  statesmen, 
was  eventually  to  be  hammered  into  some  righteous 
form  of  Avisdom  and  of  mercy.     In  the  course  of 


;i:;t-»;t..i.-»t»,ss.ii;4:».=*i«**S»:V<=i*--*'.-»'l»'' 


nd  that  the 
of  j»'()hl,  was 
he  acquired, 
le  1,500  per- 
that  did  not 
le  reward  of 
id  to  he  the 
incared  for. 
lighten  the 
hinds,  were 
3uil,  a  Bene- 
(inted  hy  t\u 
zed  teaching 
eligious  e(hi- 
tions  to  Co- 
are  tlie  first 
!oh)nial  diffi- 
:in<>'  of  g-reat 
t  statesmen, 
me  righteous 
he  course  of 


VUUMUrs  THE  yAVIOATOll.  -i-i.. 

these  instructions,  the  admiral  is  ordered  to  labor 
in  all  possible  ways  to  bring  the  dwellers  in  the 
Indies  to  a  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Faith. 
And  that  this  may  the  easier  be   d«nus  all  the 
armada  is  to  be  charged  to  deal  '  lovingly '  with 
the  Indian.  ;  the  admiral  is  to  make  them  presents, 
and  to  '  honor  them  much ' ;  and,  if  by  chance 
any  person  or  persons  should  treat  the  Indians  ill, 
in  any  matter  whatever,  the  admiral  is  to  chastise 
such  ill-doers  severely." 

Thousands  were  eager  to  embark  for  the  new 
Land  of  Plenty,  in  marked  contrast  to  the  apathy 
and  dread  displayed  at  the  outset  of  tlie  first 
voyage.     The  limit  had  been  set  at  one  thousand  ; 
but  so  persistent  were  the  volunteers,  "  many  offei- 
i„g  to  enlist  without  pay,"  that  the  number  ac- 
cepted was  twelve  hundred.     But  at  least  three 
hundred  more  managed  to  secrete  themselves  just 
before  saQing,  or  got  on  board  "by  fraud  and 
device,"  so  that  about  fifteen  hundred  comprised 
the  final  strength  of  the  expedition. 


,..^..^.,«WM.WI«IWII«--».l.-l'M*w-"''' ^ 


^nm^wtf*  'n 


,,gmi..jii...i-mu.      iji.i.  "    r* 


220) 


COLl'MIirs  rilE  S.WICATOU. 


So,  on  September  twenty-fifth,  1493,  the 
squadron  set  sail  from  Cadiz,  and  after  taking 
in  fresh  water  and  provisions,  Cohimbus  sailed 
from  Ferro  for  the  second  time,  on  October  13th. 
The  voyage  was  almost  uneventful,  and  the  pas- 
sage a  quick  one  for  those  days,  for  on  the  third 
of  November  the  ships  came  in  sight  of  land, 
having  "  by  the  goodness  of  God  and  the  wise 
management  of  the  admiral  sailed  in  as  straight 
a  track  as  if  they  had  come  by  a  well-known  and 
frequented  route."  The  day  being  Sunday,  the 
name  Dominica  was  bestowed  on  the  first  island 
to  which  they  came.  Cf>lumbus  had  steered  a 
more  southerly  course,  "  in  the  hope  of  falling  in 
with  the  islands  of  the  Caribs,  of  which  he  had 
heard  such  wonderful  accounts  from  the  Indians." 

At  Dominica  no  inhabitants  were  found,  and 
being  anxious  to  reach  the  colony  at  La  Navidad 
the  fleet  stood  to  the  north  and  northwest,  visit- 
ing and  naming  on  the  way  the  islands  of  Maria 
Galante,    Guadaloupe,    Montserrat,  Antigua,   St. 


■*WBwa'i."-.'i'i  '--ua^.t/j^.it  ■ 


1493,  the 
f'ter  takinjj 
iibiis  sailed 
tober  1.3tli. 
id  the  pas- 
n  the  tliird 
ht  of  land, 
id  the  wise 
as  straight 
known  and 
lunday,  the 
first  island 
I  steered  a 
f  falling  in 
ich  he  had 
e  Indians." 
found,  and 
La  Navidad 
iwest,  visit- 
is  of  Maria 
ntigua,   St. 


VOLL-MUL'S  Tilt:  yAVIiiAToli. 


i-.n 


Martin,  Santa  Cruz,  and  Torto  Kico.  Some  of 
the  aborigines  were  asserte.l  to  be  cannibals,  a 
"discovery"    which    filled    the  Spaniards   with 

horror. 

At  length,  on  the  twenty-second  of  November, 
Columbus  reached  Hispaniola,  and  coasted  along 
the  northern   shore  till  he  reached  L.i  Navidad. 
But  not  a  vestige  of  the  colony  remained  !     "  The 
fort  was  razed  to  the  ground.     Not  one  of    the 
settlers  was  alive  to  tell  the  tale.     The  account 
which  Guacanagari  gave  to  Columbus,  and  which 
there   seems    no    reason    to    doubt,  is,  that   the 
Spaniards  who  had  been  left  behind  took  to  evil 
courses,  quarrelled  amongst  themselves,  straggled 
about   the    country,  and  finally    were  set  upon, 
when  weak  and  few  in  numbers,  by  a  neighboring 
Indian  chief  named  Caonabo,  who  burned  the  tower 
and  killed  or  dispersed  the  garrison,  none  of  whom 
were  ever  discovered.     It  was  in  Caonabo's  coun- 
try that  the  gold  mines  were  reported  to  exist, 
and  it  is  probable  that  both  the  cupidity  and  the 


,iWijflKWJ(B!73.*MrS' 


»:^wiw^;,^'V"rf"' 


«£m  11  III" 


fl 


•2-lH 


(oijMiirs  Tin:  .\.\\i(;.\  ion. 


pr(»riii;;i('y  of  the  colonists  wvve  so  gross  as  to 
draw  down  n|>on  tliiMn  the  not  unreasonable  ven- 
geance of  the  natives.  Guacanagari,  the  friendly 
cacique,  Avho  had  received  the  admiral  amicably 
on  his  first  voyage,  declared  that  he  and  his  tribe 
had  done  their  utmost  in  defense  of  the  Europeans, 
in  proof  of  which  he  exhibited  recent  wounds 
which  had  evidently  baen  inflicted  by  savage 
weapons.  lie  Avas,  naturally,  scarcely  so  friendly 
as  before,  but  comnumication  with  him  was  made 
easy  by  the  aid  of  one  of  the  Indians  whom 
Columbus  had  taken  to  Spain,  and  who  acted  as 
interpreter.  Guacanagari  Avas  willing  that  a 
second  fort  should  be  built  oa  the  site  of  the  first, 
but  the  admiral  thought  it  better  to  seek  a  new 
locality,  both  because  the  position  of  the  old  fort 
had  been  unhealthy,  and  because  the  disgusting 
licentiousness  of  the  settlers  had  offended  the 
Indians  to  such  an  extent  that  Avhereas  they  had 
at  first  regarded  the  white  men  as  angels  from 
heaven,  now  they  considered  them   as  debased 


ross  us  to 
icible  ven- 
jo  friendly 
1  amicably 
d  his  tribe 
Europeans, 
\t  wounds 
by  sava}>e 
so  friendly 
was  made 
ans  whom 
»  acted  as 
<T  that  a 
)f  the  first, 
eek  a  new 
16  old  fort 
disgusting 
ended  the 
1  they  had 
igels  from 
,s  debased 


cor.rMurs  riiK  x.iVKiATou.  22w 

profligates  and  .listurbers  of  the  peace,  against 
whoni^  they  had  to  defend  their  honor  and   their 

lives. 

«  Sailing  along  the  coast  of  Hayti,  C.lumbus 
selected  a  site  for  his  projected  settlement,  about 
forty  miles  to  the  east  of  the  present  Cipe  Hay- 
tien.     This   he   called   Isabella,  after   'ils   r.,yal 
mistress.     Here   the    ships    of  his  stpiadron  dis- 
charged their  st,.res,  and  the  Spani.ads  labored 
activdy  in  the  construction  of  the  first  town  built 
by  Europeans  in  the  New  World.     But  the  work 
did  not  progress  prosperously.     Diseases  prevailul 
among  the  colonists.     The  fatigues  and  discom- 
forts of  a  long  sea  voyage  were  not  the  best  prep- 
arations for  hard  physical  labor.     The  number 
„f  men  which  the  admiral  had  brought  out  wilh 
him  was  disproportionate  to  his  means  of  sustain- 
ing  them.     Provisions   and  medicines  began  to 
fail.     And,    worst   of   all,   none    of  the    golden 
dreams   were   realized,  under   tic    v.fluence    of 
which  they  had  left  Spain.     Only  small  samples 


2b0  COLUMBirs  TTTE  NAVTGATOn. 

of  the  precious  metal  could  be  procured  from  the 
natives,  and  the  vaguely  indicated  gold  mines 
had  not  been  reached.  Anxiety,  responsibility, 
and  labor  began  to  tell  upon  the  iron  constitution 
of  the  admiral,  and  for  some  time  he  was  stretched 
upon  a  bed  of  sickness." 

The  tune  approached,  however,  when  it  was 
necessary  to  send  part  of  tbe  fleet  back  to  Spain, 
and  this  was  another  source  of  deep  annoyance  to 
the  ambitious  mhul  of  Columbus.     "  He  had  hoped 
to  find  treasures  of  gold  and  precious  merchan- 
dise accumidated  by  the  men  left  behind  on  the 
first  voyage ;  or  at  least  the  sources  of  wealthy 
traflic  ascertained,  by  which  speedily  to  freight 
his  vessels.     The  destruction  of  the  garrison  had 
defeated  all  those  hopes.     He  was  aware  of  the 
extravagant  expectations  entertained  by  the  sover- 
eigns and  the  nation.     What  would  be  their  dis- 
appointment when  the  returning  ships  brought 
back  nothing  but.  a  tale  of  disaster  ?     Something 
must  be  done,  before  the  vessels  sailed,  to  keep 


srold  mines 
5ponsibility, 
constitution 
as  stretched 


rhe:i  it  was 
i;k  to  Spain, 
nnoyance  to 
[e  had  hoped 
as  merchan- 
liind  on  the 
of  wealthy 
y  to  freight 
garrison  had 
I  ware  of  the 
by  the  sover- 
be  their  dis- 
lips  brought 
Something 
led,  to  keep 


COLUMBUS  TltE  NAVIGATOn.  281 

up  the  fame  of  his  discoveries,  and  justify  his  own 
magnificent  representations. 

"  As  yet  he  knew  nothing  of  the  interior  of  the 
island.     If  it  were  really  the  island  of  CIpango, 
it  must  contain  populous  cities,  existing  probably 
in  some  more  cultivated  region,  beyond  the  lofty 
mountains  with  which  it  was  intersected.     AH  the 
Indians  concurred  in  mentioning  Cibao  as  the 
tract  of  country  whence  they  derived  their  gold. 
The  very  name  of  its  cacique,  Caonabo,  signifying 
'  The  Lord  of  the  Golden  House,'  seemed  to  indi- 
cate the  wealth  of  his  dominions.     The  tract  where 
the  mines  were  said  to  abound  lay  at  a  distance 
of  but  three  or  four  days'  journey,  directly  in  the 
interior  ;  Columbus  determined,  therefore,  to  send 
an  expedition  to  explore  it,  previous  to  the  sailing 
of  the  ships.     If  the  result  should  confirm  his 
hopes,  he  would  then  be  able  to  send  home  the 
fleet  with  confidence,  bearing  tidings  of  the  dis- 
covery of  the  golden  mountains  of  Cd)ao. 

"  The  person  he  chose  for  this  enterprise  was 


232  COL  UMB  US  THE  NA  VIGA  TOIi. 

Alouzo  de  Ojecla.     Delighting  in  all  service  of  a 
hazardous  and  adventurous  nature,  Ojeda  was  the 
more   stinudated   to   this   expedition    from    the 
formidable   character    of  the  mountain  cacique, 
Caonabo,  whose  dominions  he  Avas  to  penetrate. 
He  set  out  from  the  harbor,  early  in  January, 
1494,  accompanied  by  a  small  force  of  well-armed 
and  determined  men,  several  of  them  young  and 
spirited  cavaliers  like  himself.     He  struck  directly 
southward   into  the  interior.     For  the  first  two 
days,  the  march  was  toilsome  and  difficult,  through 
a  country  abandoned  by  its  inhabitants ;  for  terror 
of  the  Spaniards  extended  along   the  sea-coast. 
On  the  second  evening  they  came  to  a  lofty  range 
of  mountains,  which  they  ascended  by  an  Indian 
path,  winding  up  a  steep  and  narrow  defile,  and 
they  slept  for  the  night  at  the  summit.     Hence, 
the  next  morning,  they  beheld  the  sun  rise  with 
great  glory  over  a  vast  and  dehcious  plain,  covered 
with  noble   forests,   studded   with   villages   and 


m[\  L 


ervice  of  a 
Bcla  was  the 

from    the 
in  cacique, 

penetrate. 
11  January, 

well-armed 
young  and 
Lick  directly 
lie  first  two 
lit,  through 
;;  for  terror 
le  sea-coast, 
lofty  range 
f  an  Indian 
V  defile,  and 
lit.  Hence, 
in  rise  with 
lain,  covered 
irillages  and 


CO:AJMiWii  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


2o3 


hamlets,  and  enlivened  by  the  shining  waters  of 

the  Yagui. 

-  Descending  into  this  plain,  Ojeda   and  his 
companions   boldly  entered   the  Indian   villages. 
The  inhabitants,  far  from  being   hostile,  ovei- 
whelmed  them  with  hospitality,  and,  in  fact  im- 
peded their   journey  by  their  kindness.     They 
had  to  ford  many  rivers  in  traversing  this  plain,  so 
that  they  were  five  or  six  days  hi  reaching  the  chain 
of  mountains  which  locked  up,  as  it  were,  the 
golden  region  of  Cibao.     They  penetrated  into 
this  district  without  meeting  with  any  other  ob- 
stacles than  tbose  presented  by  the  rude  nature  of 
the   country.     Cauuabo,  so   redoubtable  for  his 
courage  and   ferocity,  must  have  been  in  some 
distant  part  of  his  dominions,  for  he  never  ap- 
peared to  dispute  their  progress.     The  natives 
received  them  with  kindness ;  they  were  naked  and 
uncivilized,  Uke  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  island, 
nor  were  there  any  traces  of  the  important  cities 
which  then-  imaginations  had  once  pictui-ed  forth. 


•234 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


They  saw,  however,  ample  signs  of  natural 
The  sands  of  the  mountain-streams  glittered  with 
particles  of  gold  ;  these  the  natives  would  skill- 
fully sej)arate  and  give  to  the  Spaniards,  without 
expecting  a  recompense.  In  some  places  they 
picked  up  large  specimens  of  virgin  ore  from  the 
beds  of  the  torrents,  and  stones  streaked  and 
richly  impregnated  with  it.  Peter  Martyr  affirms 
that  he  saw  a  mass  of  rude  gold  weighing  nine 
ounces,  which  Ojeda  himself  had  found  in  one  of 
the  brooks. 

"  All  these  were  considered  as  mere  superficial 
washings  of  the  soil,  betraying  the  hidden  treasure 
lurking  in  the  deep  veins  and  rocky  bosoms  of 
the  mountains,  and  only  reipiiring  the  hand  of 
labor  to  bring  them  to  light.  As  the  object  of 
his  expedition  was  merely  to  ascertain  the  nature 
of  the  country,  Ojeda  led  back  his  little  band  to 
the  harbor,  full  of  enthusiastic  accounts  of  the 
golden  promise  of  these  mountains.  A  young 
cavalier  of  the  name  of  Gorvalan,  who  had  been 


"I 


ral  wealth, 
tered  with 
ould  skill- 
is,  without 
laces  they 
from  the 
saked  and 
tyr  affirms 
hing  nine 
[  in  one  of 

superficial 
m  treasure 
bosoms  of 
3  hand  of 
I  object  of 
he  nature 
e  band  to 
nts  of  the 
A  young 
had  been 


COLUMBUS  rUE  NAVIGATOU. 


235 


despatched  at  the  same  time  on  a  similar  expedi- 
tion, and  who  had  explored  a  different  tract  of 
country,  returned   with   similar  reports.     These 
flattering  accounts  served  for  a  time  to  reanimate 
the  drooping  and  desponding  colonists,  and  in- 
duced Columbus  to  believe  that  it  was  only  neces- 
sary to  explore  the  mines  of  Cibao  in  order  to 
open   inexhaustible  sources    of   riches.     He   de- 
termined, as  soon   as  his   health   Avould  permit, 
to  repair  in  person  to  the  mountains,  and  seek 
a  favorable  site  for  a  mining  establishment. 

"The   season   being  now   propitious  for   the 
return  of  the  fleet,   Columbus  lost   no  time  in 
despatching  twelve  of  the  ships  under  the  com- 
mand of  Antonio  de  Torres,  retaining  only  five 
for  the  service  of  the  colony.     By  this  opportunity 
he  sent  home  specimens  of  the  gold  found  among 
the  mountiiins  and  rivers  of  Cibao,  and  all  such 
fruits  and  plants  as  were  curious,  or  appeared  to 
be  valuable.     He  wrote  in  the  most   sanguine 
terms  of  the  expeditions  of  Ojeda  and  Gorvalan, 


o-^r,  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

the  last  of  whom  returned  to  Spain  in  the  fleet 
He  repeated  his  confident  anticipations  of  soon 
being  able  to  make  abundant  shipments  of  gold, 
of  precious  drugs,  and  spices  ;  the  search  for 
them  being  delayed  for  the  present  by  the  sick- 
ness of  himself  and  people,  and  the  cares  and 
labors  required  in  building  the  infant  city.  He 
described  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  the  island  ; 
its  range  of  noble  mountains ;  its  wide,  abundant 
plains,  watered  by  beautiful  rivers;  the  quick 
fecundity  of  the  soil,  evinced  in  the  luxuriant 
growth  of  the  sugar-cane,  and  of  various  grains 
and  vegetables  brought  from  Europe. 

"  As  it  would  take  some  time,  however,  to 
obtain  provisions  from  their  fields  and  gardens 
and  the  produce  of  their  live  stock  adequate  to 
the  subsistence  of  the  colony,  which  consisted  of 
about  a  thousand  souls ;  and  as  they  could  not 
accustom  themselves  to  the  food  of  the  natives, 
Columbus  requested  present  supplies  from  Spain. 
Their  provisions  were   already   growing  scanty. 


I  the  fleet. 
Ls  of  soon 
ts  of  gold, 
search  for 
y  the  sick- 
cares  and 
;  city.  He 
he  island  ; 
,  ahundant 
the  quick 
J  luxuriant 
lous  grains 

owever,  to 
id  gardens 
idequate  to 
onsisted  of 
could  not 
he  natives, 
:rom  Spain, 
ing  scanty. 


COLVMBVS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  ti:^7 

Much  of  their  whie  had  been  lost,  from  the  bad- 
ness of  the  casks  ;  and  the  colonists,  in  their  in- 
firm  state  of  health,  suffered  greatly  frcmi  the 
want  of  their  accustomed   diet.     There  was  an 
immediate  necessity  of  medicines,  clothing,  and 
arms.     Horses   were  required,  likewise,    for  the 
public   works   and   for   military   service;   being 
found  of  great  effect  in  awing  the  natives,  who 
had  the  utmost  dread  of  those  animals.     He  re- 
quested also  an  additional  number  of  workmen 
and  mechanics,  and  men  skilled  in  mining,  and 
in  smelting  and  purifying  ore." 

All  these  glowing  accounts,  just  as  Columbus 
expected,  served  to  keep  alive  the  ardor  of  the 
monarchs.     The  fleet  arrived  in   Spain   on   the 
second  of    February,   1494,     and    "though  it 
brought  back  no  wealth  to  Spain,  yet  expectation 
was  kept  alive  by  the  sanguine  letter  of  the  ad- 
miral and  by  the  specimens  of  gold  and  produce 
which  he  enclosed.     The  sordid  calculations  of 
petty  spirits  were  as  yet  overruled  by  the  enthu- 


j 


'2ns  COLUMBUS  rilK  XAVKiATon. 

siasin  of  jreneious  minds  captivated  by  the  lot'ty 
nature  of  these  enterprises. 

Meantime  the  biiildino-  of  the  city  of  Isabella 
was  progressing  finely,  and  the  admiral  was  in- 
cessantly busy  about  the   affairs  of  the  colony, 
which  were  in  a  most  distracted  state.     Scant  fare 
and  hard  work  were  having  their  effect ;  sickness 
pervaded  the  whole  armament ;  and  men  of  all 
ranks  and  stations,  hidalgoes,  people  of  the  court 
and  ecclesiastics,  were  obliged  to  labor  manually 
under   regulations   strictly    enforced.     The  rage 
and  vexation  of  these  men,  many  of  whom  had 
come  out  with  the  notion  of  finding  gold  ready 
for  them  on  the  sea-shore,  may  be  imagined  ;  and 
complaints  of  the  admiral's  harsh  way  of  dealing 
with  those  under  him  (probably  no  harsher  than 
was  absolutely  necessary  to  save  them),  now  took 
their  rise,  and  pursued  him  ever  after  to  his  ruin. 
A  mutiny,  headed  by  Bernal  Diaz,  a  man  high  in 
authority,  was  detected   and  quelled  before  the 
mutineers  could  effect  their  intention  of  seizing 


the  lot'ty 

of  Isabella 
al  was  in- 
le  colony, 
Scant  fare 
;  sickness 
men  of  all 

the  conrt 
■  manually 

The  rage 
whom  had 
gold  ready 
;ined  ;  and 
of  dealing 
rsher  than 
,  now  took 
to  his  luin. 
an  high  in 
before  the 

of  seizing 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOli. 


2nrt 


the  ships.     Diaz  was  sent  for  trial  to  Spain.     Tlie 
colonists,  however,  were  somewhat  cheered  after 
a  time  by  hearing  of  gold  mines,  and  seeing  speci- 
mens of  ore  brought  from  thence ;    and  the  ad- 
miral went  himself  and  founded  the   Fort  of  St. 
Thomas  in  the  mining  district  of  Cibao.     But  the 
Spaniards  gained  very  little  real  advantage  from 
these    gold   mines,    which  they    began    to   work 
before  they   had  consolidated   around   them  the 
means  of  living  ;  in  fact,  dealing  with  the  mines 
of  Hispaniola  as  if  they  had  been  discovered  in  an 
old  country,  where  the  means  of  transit  and  sup- 
plies of   provisions  can,  with  certainty,  be  pro- 
cured. 

"There  was  also  another  evil,  besides  that  of 
in( onsideiate  mining,  and,  perhaps,  quite  as  mis- 
chievous a  one,  which  stood  in  the  way  of  the 
steady  improvement  of  these  early  Spar  ish  col- 
onies. The  Catholic  sovereigns  had  unfortu- 
nately impressed  upon  Columbus  their  wish  that 
he  should  devote  himself  to  further  discovery,  a 


tfrnammmmm 


240  coil' 3/5 1^'^  THE  NAVlGATOli. 

wish  Init   too  readily  adopted  and  furthered  by 
his  enterinisinjr  spirit.     The   hankering    of    the 
Spanish  nionarchs  for  further  discovry  was  fos- 
tered by  their  3eah)usy  of  the  Portuguese.     The 
Portu<i-uese  were  making  their  way  towards  India, 
going  eastward.     They,  the  Spaniards,  thought 
they    were    discovering   India,    going    westward. 
The  more    rapidly,  therefore,  each  nation   coukl 
advance    and    phmt   its   standard,    the    more    of 
much-coveted  India  it  woidd  hereafter  be  able  to 
claim.     Acting  upon  such  views,  Columbus  now 
proceeded  onwards,  bent   upon  further  discovery, 
notwithstanding  that  his  little  colonies  at  Isabella 
and  St.  Thomas  must  have  needed  all  his  sagacity 
to  protect  them,  and  all  his  authority  to  restrain 
them.     He  nominated  a  coimcil  to  manage  the 
government  during  his  absence,  with  his  brother 
Don  Diego  as  president  of  it ;  he  appointed  a  cei- 
tain  Don  Pedro  Margarite  as  captain-goneral ;  and 
then  put  to  sea  on  the  24th  of  April,  1404." 
In  this  voyage  Columbus  made  many  important 


■Ixered  by 
"•  of  the 
y  was  fos- 
ese.  The 
irJs  India, 
i,  thought 
westward, 
tlon   could 

more  of 
be  able  to 
iinbus  now 

discovery, 
at  Isabella 
lis  sagacity 
to  restrain 
lanage  the 
lis  brother 
Inted  a  cer- 
nieral ;  and 
U04." 
y  important 


;? 


COLUMBUS  TllK  yA\'I<:ATOli.  '-Ml 

"finds"  in  the  West  Indies,  chief  among  which 
was  the  island  of  Jamaica  and  the  cluster  of  fei- 
tile  islets  known  as  "  the  Garden  of  the  Queen." 
The  navigation  was  beset  with  such  perils  among 
the  rocks  and  currents,  sandbanks  and  reefs  of 
the  archipelago,  that  the  admiral  is  said  to   have 
gone  without  sleep   for  thirty-two  days !     As  a 
result  he  was  stricken   with  a  grare  illness,  and 
the  ships  were  compelled  to    return    to   Isabella 
with  their  invalided  commander,  where  they  ai- 
rived  on    the  twenty-ninth  of  September,  1494. 
Columbus  was  ill  for  five  months.     But  during 
this  sickness  he  was  cheered  by  the  presence  of 
his   brother,    Bartholomew   Columbus,  who   had 
come  out  while  the   admiral  .was  absent.     Soon 
after  there  arrived  Antonio  de  Torres,  with  sev- 
eral shiploads  of  supplies  for  the  colonists  and  a 
packet  of   letters  from  Ferdinand  and  Isabella, 
commending  Columbus  for   his  faithfulness  and 

fortitude. 

But  only  the  opportune  arrival  of  the  admiral  at 


242  COLUMBUS  TUE  yAVKlATOll. 

Isabella  saved  the  settlement  from  the  fate  of  La 
Navidad.     During  his  absence  the  Spaniards  left 
in  charge  had  managed  to  alienate  the  natives  l)y 
their  unrestrained  waste,  eovetousness,  brutality, 
and  licentiousness.     They  Avent  roaming  all  over 
the  country,  and  death  and  disaster  marked  their 
track,  and  now  there  was  '^  but  little  hope  of  the 
races  living  peaceably  together,"  and  the  Indians 
"  were  now  swarming  about  the  Spaniards  with 
hostile  intent."     Even  the  pacific  Columbus  was 
forced  to  fight  a  battle  with  the  natives,  routing 
them  utterly,  and  a  "  horrible  slaughter  ensued." 
This  and  other  conflicts  mark  the  commencenent 
of  vassalage  an<l  slavery  in  the  West  Indies  and 
in  Spanish  Americii^     Colundnis  imposed  a  tribute 
upon  the  wh<de  population  of  Hispaniola,  which 
was  thus  arranged  : 

"  Every  Indian  above  fourteen  years  old,  who 
was  in  the  provinces  of  the  mines,  or  near  to  these 
provinces,  was  to  pay  every  three  months  a  little 
bellf  ul  of  gold  ;  all  other  persons  in  the  island 


ite  of  La 
iiu'ds  left 
atives  l)y 
brutalitv, 
f  all  over 
•keel  their 
»pe  of  the 
e  Indians 
iards  with 
nibus  was 
s,  ronting 
•  ensned. 
lencenent 
[ndies  and 
d  a  tribute 
ola,  which 

5  old,  who 

;ar  to  these 

iths  a  little 

the  island 


VOLVmiVS  TJIK  yAVIGATOR.  243 

,vere  to  pav  at  the  same  time  an  mrohn  of  cotton 
for  each  person.     Certain  brass  or  copper  tokens 
,vere  made-different  ones  for  each  tribute  time 
-and  were  given  to  the  Indians  when  they  paid 
tribute  ;  and  these  tokens,  being  worn  about  their 
necks,  were  to  show  who  had  paid  tribute."     Thus 
was  hunum  slavery  first  introduced  by  Eur<.peans. 
At  this  time  there  arrived  in  the  Indies  an 
envoy   from    the   Court   of   Spain    named   Juan 
Aguado.     The  Spanish  mcmarchs  had  been  listen- 
ing to  cmiplaints  agah.st  Columbus  made  by  some 
nualcontents-Father  Buil,  Margarite,  and  others 
_who  had  returned  to  Spain,  and  Aguado  was 
commissioned  t<.  make  a  thorough  incpiiry  into 

the  affairs  of  the  colony. 

"The  royal  commissioner  arrived  at  Isabella  in 
October,  1405,  and  his  proceedings  in  the  colony, 
together  with  the  fear  of  what  he  might  report  on 
his  return,  quickened  the  admiral's  desire  to  return 
to  Court,  that  he  might  fight  his  own  battles  there 
himself.     For  the  tide  of  his  fortune  was  turn- 


:«^5Sse*^i5'"*"~ 


244 


COLU Minis  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


ing,  and  this  appeared  by  several  notable  signs. 
Strong  as  was  the  confidence  which  the  sovereigns 
reposed  in  him,  the  representations  of  Margarlte 
and  Buil — the  rongh  soldier  and  the  wily  Bene- 
dictine— had  produced  their  effect.     They  com- 
plained of  the  despotic  rule  of  Columbus  ;  of  the 
disregard  of  distinctions  of  rank  which  he  had 
manifested  by  placing  the  hidalgoes  on  the  same 
footing  as  the  common  men  as  regards  work  and 
rations  during  the  construction  of  the  settlement ; 
and  of  his  mania  for  discovery,  which  made  him 
abandon  the  colony  already  formed  in  the  unre- 
munerative  search  for  new  countries.     The  com- 
missioner  who    was    sent   to    investigate    these 
charges,  as  well  as  to  report  on  the  condition  of 
the  colony,  found  no  difficulty  in  collecting  evi- 
dence  to   substantiate   them.     An   unsuccessful 
man  is  generally  persuaded  that  somebody  else 
has  caused  his  failure.     And  the  '  somebody  else,' 
in  the  case  of  the  colonists,  was,  by  universal  con- 
sent, the  foreign  sea-captain  who  had  deluded 


- ^■^J^r».m^•tiamm9mmmm 


)le  signs, 
jvereigns 
^argaiite 
ily  Bene- 
liey  com- 
s  ;  of  the 
1  he  had 
the  same 
work  and 
ttlement ; 
made  him 
the  iinre- 
The  com- 
ite    these 
idition  of 
cting  evi- 
successful 
body  else 
3ody  else,' 
k'ersal  con- 
1  deluded 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  245 

Spanish  liidalgoes  by  his  wild  projects,  and  had 
become  a  grandee  under  false  pietenses.     The 
Indians,  too,  who  were  glad  to  lay  their  miseries 
ac  the  door  of  somebody,  and  who  were  told  that 
Aguado  was  the  new  admiral,  and  had  come  to 
supplant  the  old  one,  were  not  slow  to  add  their 
quota  to  the  charges  against  Columbus.     To  rebut 
these  accusations,  as  well  as  to  protest  against  the 
issue  of  licenses  to  private  adventurers  to  trade 
in  the  new  countries  inaependently  of  the  admiral 
(a  measure   which,  in   violation  of   Columbus's 
charter,   had  lately   been   adopted),   he   quitted 
Isabella  on   the    10th  of  March,  1496,  in   the 
Nina,  while  Aguado  took  ship  in  another  caravel. 
Many   of   the   colonists,  who   had  been   rudely 
awakened  from  their  golden  dreams,  seized  this 
opportunity    of    returning    to    Spain;    and    the 
Cacique  Caonabo  was  also  taken  on  board,  probably 
with  a  view  of  impressing  upon  him  an  over- 
whelming conviction  of  Spanish  power,  and  of  the 
futility  of  any  efforts  to  resist  it. 


. 


04G  COL  VMB  US  THE  NA  VWA  TOR. 

"  The  voyage  was  a  miserable  one.     Contrary 
Avinds  prevailed  until   provisions  began    to   run 
short,   and   rations   were   doled  out  in  pittances 
which  grew  scantier  and   scantier  until   all   the 
admiral's  authority  was  needed   to  pevent   his 
ravenous  shipmates  from  killing  and  eating  the 
Caribs  who  were  on  board,  in  idtribution,  so  ran 
the    grim  jest,  for  their   cannibalism.     At   last, 
when  famine  was  imminent,  after  a  voyage   of 
three  months'  duration,  the  two  caravels  entered 
the  Bay  of   Cadiz  on  the  11th  of   June,  1496. 
After  about  a  month's  delay,  Columbus  received 
a  sunimons  to  proceed  to  the  court,  which  was 
then  at  Burgos.     In   the  course   of  his  journey 
thither  he  adopted  the  same  means  of  dazzling  the 
eves  of  the  populace,  by  the  display  of  gold  and 
the  exhibition  of  his  captives,  as  on  his  return 
from  his  first  voyage  ;  but  so  many  unsuccessful 
colonists  had  returned,  sick  at  heart  and  ruined 
in   health,  to   tell   the   tale   of   failure   to   their 
countrymen,  that  this  triumphal  procession  was 


Contrary 
n    to   run 

pittances 
11   all  the 
•event   his 
eating  the 
ion,  so  ran 
At   last, 
voyage   of 
ils  entered 
line,  1496. 
Hi  received 
which  was 
lis  journey 
lazzling  the 
f  gold  and 

his  return 
msuccessful 
and  ruined 
re  to  their 
[•eshloii  was 


COLUMBUS  THE  NArWATOU.  247 

very  unlike  the  last  as  regards  the  welcome  ac- 
corded by  the  public.     However,  the  sovereigns 
seem  to  have  given  the  admiral  a  kind  reception, 
and  instead  of  placing  him  on  his  defense  against 
the  charges  which  had  been  brought  forward  by 
Father  Bull,  they  listened  with  sympathy  to  his 
story  of  the  difficulties  which  had  beset  him,  and 
heard  with  sanguine  satisfaction  of   the  recent 
discovery  of  the  mines  from  which  it  was  said 
that  the  natives  procured  most  of  the  gold  that 
had  been  found  in  their  possession,  and  which 
promised  an  incalculably  rich  harvest.    Presently, 
in  apparent  confirmation  of  this  belief,  one  Pedro 
Nino,  a  captain  of  the  admiral's,  announced  his 
arrival  at  Cadiz,  with  a  cpiantity  of  '  gold  in  bars ' 
on  board  his  ship.     It  was  not  until  great  ex- 
pectations had  been  raised  at  court,  and  the  wild- 
est ideas  conceived  of  the  magnitude  of  this  sup- 
posed first  instalment  of  the  riches  of  the  newly 
found  gold  mines,  that  it  turned  out  that  this 
Niuo  was  merely  a  miserable  maker  of  jokes,  and 


248  COLVmWS  TIIE  NAVIGATOti. 

that  the  '  gold  m  bars  '  >vas  only  represented  by 
the  Indians  who  composed  his  cargo,  whose 
present  captivity  was  secured  by  '  bars,'  and 
whose  future  sale  was  to  furnish  gold.  This 
absurdity  naturally  caused  Columbus  and  his 
friends  no  slight  mortification,  and  added  a  fresh 
weapon  to  the  shafts  of  ridicule  which  his  enemies 
were  forever  launching  at  his  extravagant  theories 
and  his  expensive  projects." 

Clearly  enough  the  reaction  had  set  in.     The 
state  of  excited  expectation  in  which  the  monarchs 
and  the  people  of  Spain  had  lived  for  the  past 
few  years  was  too  strained  to  be  kept  up  on  such 
meager  food  as   the  admiral  had   been  able  to 
supply  from  time  to  time.     His  employers  desired 
tangible  and  immediate  resuUs— ingots  of  gold, 
strings  of  pearls  and  rubies  and  diamonds,  bales 
of  rich  fabrics  and  spices,  instead  of  which  they 
had  received  a  few  beggarly  handf uls  of  glisten- 
ing gold-dust,  some  rare  or  new  botanical  speci- 
mens, and  a  score  or  so  of  savages.     It  is  not 


sented  by 
fo,  whose 
3ars,'  and 
.Id.  This 
1  and  his 
ed  a  fresh 
is  enemies 
nt  theories 

in.     The 
}  monarchs 
I-  the   past 
Lip  on  such 
en  able  to 
,reis  desired 
ts  of  gold, 
londs,  bales 
which  they 
\  of  glisten- 
inical  speci- 
It  is  not 


COLUMBUS  TUE  NAVIGATOH.  249 

surprising  that  they  missed  the  full  significance 
of  the  recent  discoveries  when  Columbus  himself 
was  equally   short-sighted.     Familiarity  with  the 
"  stupendous  wonder  of  a  newly  discovered  world" 
had  bred  contempt,  and  prince  and  populace  de- 
manded new  wonders  as  the  price  of  their  good- 
will.    Then,    too,    the  incidents  Avhich  attended 
the  return   of  the   second  company  of  voyagers 
were  such  as  to  foster  distrust.     The  ileet  had 
sailed  away  flushed  with  hope  and  p  iticipation  ; 
they  returned  broken  with  disease  and  disaster, 
ragged,  and  poorer  than  when  they  set  out,  and 
every  man  amoiig  the\n  blamed  the  admiral  and 
scoffed  at  his  discoveries. 

But  amid  all  this  Columbus  carried  an  indom- 
itable and  undaunted  front.  He  reiterated  his 
belief  that  in  the  island  of  Cuba  lay  the  Golden 
Chersonese  of  tlie  ancientry,  and  that  discoveries 
needed  only  to  be  pushed  a  little  farther  to  reach 
the  goal  of  every  man's  hopes.  Ho  pointed  to 
the  gold  mines  on  the  island  of  Hispaniola,  and 


! 


^«,^— -jhW"""**"* 


;•    i 


250  COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

gravely  asserted  that  therein  he  had  found  the 
ancient  Ophir. 

On  twelfth  of  July,  1496,  Columbus  was  sum- 
moned l)efore  the  sovereigns  in  a  kind  and  gracious 
letter,  and  he  set  out  to  meet  them  at   Burgos, 
accompanied  by  his  natives,  whom  he  decked  out 
in  all  their  native  finery,  hoping  thereby  U  dazzle 
the  eyes  of  all  beholders.     Nor  was  the  hope  vain. 
This  display  of  the  curiosities  and  treasures  had 
f„r  the  nonce  tho  desired  effect   even  with   the 
monarchs,    and   tliey    listened   favorably   to   the 
iidmiral's  suggestion  of  a  tliird  voyage,  in  which 
he  undertook    to  push   on   to  Terra  Firma,  and 
annex  that   to  the   crown.     But  Spain    was   as 
usual  afHicted  with  foreign  wars  aiul  a  depleted 
treasury,  and  it  was  not  until  the  spring  of  1497 
that   any   serious   steps   were   taken    to    fit   out 
another   fleet.     But    Columbus   found  that   the 
statesmen   and   clerics   in   power   at  ccmrt  were 
hostile   to    every   suggestion    he   made,  and  not 
until   Queen  Isabella  again  took  the   matter  in 


•^.=^Hifta.fefWT* 


wWp«aA~^'««^Tr^"«^««'*^'*'^^^^         ,-^'-?j'^T«\-4^A'" 


unci  the 

as  siim- 
gracious 

Burgos, 
'ked  out 
to  dazzle 
ope  vain, 
mes  had 
with   the 
f   to   the 
in  which 
irnia,  and 
I    was   as 

depleted 
.■  of  1497 
o   fit   ont 

tiiat  the 
onrt  were 
J,  and  not 

matter  in 


OLVMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  2^1 

hand   was  the  requisite    authority   gained.     At 
length,  1  owever,  after  a  ruinous   delay,  on  May 
30,''l498,  Columbus  set  sail  from  San  Lucar  de 
Ba'rrameda  with  a  squadron  of  six  vessels  and 
two  hundred  men  on  a  third  voyage  of  discovery. 
"  The  route  he  proposed  to  take  was  different 
from  that  pursued  in  his  former  voyage.     He  in- 
tended to  depart  from  the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands, 
sailing  to  the  southwest,  until   he   sh<,uld  come 
under  the  ecpiinoctial  line,  then  to  steer  directly 
westward  with  the  favor  of  the  trade-winds,  untd 
he  should  arrive  at  land,  or  find  himself  in  the 
longitude  of  Hispaniola.     Various  considerations 
induced  him  to  adopt  this  course.     In  his  pre- 
ceding voyage,  when    he    coasted   the    southern 
side  of  Cuha,  under  the  belief  that  it  was  the  con- 
tinent of  Asia,  he  had  observed  that  it  swept  off 
toward  the  south.     From  this  circumstance,  and 
from  information  gathered  among  the  natives  of 
the  Caribbee  Islands,  he  was  induced  to  believe 
that  a  great  tract  of  the  mainland  lay  to  the  south 


I  * 


252  COLUMBUS  Tin:  yAVlUATOIi. 

of  the  countries  he  had  ah-eady  discovered.    King 
John  II.  of  Portugal  appears  to  have  entertained 
a  similar  idea  ;  as  Herrera  records  an  opinion  ex- 
pressed hy  tint  monarch,  that  there  was  a  con- 
tinent in  the  Southern  Ocean.     If  this  were  the 
case,  it  was  supposed  hy  Columhus,  that,  in  pro- 
portion as  he  approached  the  equator,  and  ex- 
tended his  discoveries  to  climates  more  and  more 
under  the  torrid  influence  of  the  sun,  he  should 
find  the  productions  of  nature  suhlimated  by  its 
rays  to  more  perfect  and  precious  (pialities.     He 
was  strengthened  in  this  hehef  by  a  letter  written 
to  him  at  the  command  of  the  queen,  by  one 
Jayme  Ferrer,  an  eminent  and  learned  lapidary, 
who,  in  the  course  of  his  trading  for  precious 
stones  and  metals,  had  been  in  the  Levant  and 
in  various  parts  of  the  East;  had  conversed  with 
the  merchants  of  the  remote  parts  of  Asia  and 
Africa,  and  the   natives    of  India,    Arabia,  and 
Ethiopia,  and   was  considered  deeply   versed  in 
geography  generally,  but  especially  in  the  natural 


■-„»>!Si»W»iS!W3l 


.    King 
3i-taine(l 
iiion  ex- 
i  a  cou- 
ere  the 
ill  pio- 
and  ex- 
id  more 
)  should 
3d  by  its 
ies.     He 
r  written 
,  by  one 
lapidary, 
precious 
irant  and 
sed  with 
Asia  and 
ibia,  and 
versed  in 
le  natural 


COLUMTiUS  THE  NAVIGATOli.  2r.3 

histories  of  those  countries  whence  the  valuable 
merchandise  in  which  he  dealt  was  procured.     In 
this  letter  Ferrer  assured  Cohnubus,  that,  accord- 
ing to  his  experience,  the  rarest  objects  of  com- 
merce, such  as  g..ld,  precious  stones,  drugs  and 
spices,  were  chiefly  to  be  found  in  the   regions 
about  the  ecjuinoctial  hue,  where  the  inhabitants 
were  black,  or  darkly  colored ;  and  that  until  the 
admiral    should   arrive    among   people    of    such 
complexions,  he  did  not  think  he  would  find  those 
articles  in  great  abundance." 

On   Thursday,  July  31,  land  was  discovered 
toward   the   southwest,    and   proved   to   be   the 
island  of  Trhudad,  so    named  in  honor  of  the 
Trinity,  and  also  because  when  first  sighted  three 
lofty  peaks  came  into  view  against  the  evening 
sky.     He  was  now  very  near   to  the  mainland, 
and  on  the  Spanish  Main  of  later  years.     Sailing 
on  around  Trhxidad  the  ships  entered  the  Gulf 
of  Paria,  into  which  the  Orinoco  discharges  its 
immense  volume  of  water.     But  still  the  adnural 


254 


COL UMB us  THE  JNM VIGA TOT 


believed  he  was  among  islands— a  aeiusion  fos- 
tered by   the  very  lugoed   and   luneli  indented 
coast-line  of   this  part   of   S«.utb  America.     At 
lengtli,   noticing  the  immense  torrent  of  >vater 
brought  down  by  the  rivers,  Columbus  began  to 
suspret  that  the  land  which  he  had  been  calling 
the  island  of  Gracia  Avas  not  an  island,  but  a  con- 
tinent.    But  at  this  juncture  he  had  no  time  for 
further  investigation,  being  anxious  to  reach  his 
colonists  at  Hispaniola. 

It  is  worth  while  t.)  stop  here  a  moment  and 
glance  at  the  workings  of  the  mind  of  Columbus 
and  his  mental  attitude  towards  his  great  discovery. 
Never  was  man  more  deluded.     "  We  are  hardly 
so  much  concerned  with  what  the  admiral  saw 
and  heard,"  says  Sir  Arthur  Helps,  "  as  with  what 
he  afterwards  thought  and  reported."     To  under- 
stand this,  it  wiU  be  desirable  to  enter  somewhat 
into  the  scientific  questions  which  occupied   the 
mind  of  this  great  mariner  and  most  observant 
man. 


!fmw^mmme^mismm%Tm(!ms^  ss^^ssmmssm 


ision  fos- 

iiulented 

ru-a.     At 

of  water 

began  to 

Ml  calling" 

but  a  eon- 

3  time  f  or 

reach  his 

anient  and 
Columbus 
b  discovery, 
are  hardly 
ilmiral  saw 
3  with  what 
To  iinder- 
f  somewhat 
jcupieel   the 
t  observant 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 


255 


"  The  discovery  of  the  continent  of  America  by 
Columbus,  in  his  third  voyage,  was  the  result  of 
a  distinct  intention  on  his  part  to  discover  some 
new  land,  and  cannot  be  attributed  to  chance. 
It  would  be  difticult  to  defni(3  precisely  the  train 
of  ideas  which  led  Columbus  to  this  discovery. 
The  Portuguese  navigations  were  ■  <nnpelhng 

cause.     Then   the    change,    already    alluded   to, 
which  Columbus  had  noticed  in  his  voyages  to 
the  Indies,  on  passing  a  line  a  hundred  leagues 
-west  of  the  Azores,  was  in  his  mind,  as  it   was  in 
reality,  a  circumstance  of  great  moment  and  sig- 
nificance.    It  was  not  a  change  of  temperature 
alone  that  he  noticed,  but  a  change  in  the  heavens, 
the  ab,  the  sea,  and  the  magnetic  current. 

« In  the  first  place,  the  needle  of  the  compass, 
instead  of  north-easting,  north-wested  at  this  line ; 
and  that  remarkable  phenomenon  occurred  just 
upon  the  passage  of  the  line,  as  if,  Columbus  says, 
one  pa^oed  the  hill.  Then  the  sea  there  was  full 
of  sea-weed  like  small  pine-branches,  laden  with  a 


^f 


2r.G 


COUMIiUS  TUE  NAVIOATOIi. 


fruit  similar  to  iiistaeliin  nuts.  Moreover,  on  pass- 
ing this  imaginarv  Hiks  tlu  admiral  had  invariably 
found  that  the  temj)erature  became  agreeable,  and 
the  sea  calm.  A< tordingly,  i"  the  coxirse  of  this 
voyage,  when  they  were  suffering  from  that  great 
heat  which  has  been  mentioned,  he  determined 
to  take  a  westerly  course,  which  led,  as  we  have 
seen,  t<»  his  discoverin>.';   the  beautiful   land   of 

Paria. 

"  Now  Columbus  was  one  of  those  men  of  divin- 
in<>-  minds,  Avho  nuist  have  general  theories  on 
which  to  thread  their  observations  ;  and,  as  few 
persosis  ^  ive  ^>f  just  a  claim  to  theorize  as  those 
who  brvo  added  largely  to  the  number  of  ascer- 
tainivii  iacts,  so  Columbus  may  well  be  listened  to, 
when  propounding  his  explanation  of  the  wonder- 
ful change  in  sea,  air,  sky,  and  magnetic  current, 
which  he  discerned  at  this  distance  of  a  hundred 
leagues  from  the  Azores. 

"  His  theory  was,  that  the  earth  was  not  a  per- 
fect sphere,  but  pear-shaped;    and  he  thought 


■A5«»assji«iEaiSBSi«S'S!tt*-«»S®^^s^^ 


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id,  as  few 
e  as  those 
i"  of  ascer- 
listened  to, 
he  wondei"- 
;ic  current, 
a  hundred 


5  not  a  per- 
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t 

J 


COL  UMB  US  TUE  NA  VIGA  TOR.  -'ft? 

that,  as  he  proceeded  westwards  in  this  voyage, 
the  sea  went  gradually  vising,  and  his  shij)s  rising 
too,  until  they  came  nearer  to  the  heavens.     It 
is  very  possible  that  this  theory  had  been  long  in 
his  mind,  or,  at  any  rate,  that  he  held  it  before 
he  reached  the  coast  of  Paria.     When  there,  new 
facts  struck  his  mind,  and  were  combined  with 
his  theory.     He   found   the   temperature   much 
more  moderate  than  might  have  been  expected  so 
near  the  eciuhioctial  line,  far  more  moderate  than 
on  the  opposite  coast  of  Africa.     In  the  evenings, 
indeed,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  wear  an  outer 
garment  of  fur.     Then,  tiie  natives  were  lighter 
colored,  more  astute,  and  braver  than  those  of 
the  islands.     Their  hair,  too,  was  different. 

"  Then,  again,  he  meditated  upon  the  immense 
volume  of  fresh  waters  which  descended  into  the 
Gulf  of  Paria.  And,  in  fine,  the  conclusion  which 
his  pious  mind  came  to,  was,  that  when  he  reached 
the  land  which  he  called  the  island  of  Gracia,  he 
was  at  die  base  of  the  earthly  Paradise.     He  also, 


•J58  COLUMlll'S  THE  NAVIGATOU. 

upon  reflection,  concluded  that  it  was  a  continent 
which  lie  had  discovered,  the  same  continent  of 
the  east  Avhich  he  had  always  heen  in  search  of ; 
and  that  the  waters,  which  we  now  know  to  be  a 
branch  of  the  river  Oiinoco,  formed  one  of  the 
four  great  rivers  which  descended  from  the  gai- 
den  of  Paradise. 

"  Very  different  were  the  conjectures  of  the 
pilots.     Some  said  that  they  were  in  the   Sea  of 
Spain  ;  others,  in  that  of  Scotland,  and,  being  in 
despair  about  their  whereabouts,  they  concluded 
that  they  had  been   under  the  guidance  of  the 
Devil.     The  admiral,  however,  was  not  a  man  to 
be  much  influenced  by  the  sayings  of  the  un- 
thouffhtful  and  the  unlearned.     He  fortified  him- 
self  by  references  to  St.  Isidoro,  Beda,  Strabo,  St. 
Ambrose,  and  Duns  Scotus,  and  held  stoutly  to 
the  conclusion  that  he  had  discovered  the  site  of 
the  earthly  Paradise.     It  is  said,  that  he  exclaimed 
to  his  men,  that  they  were  in  the  richest  country 
in  the  world." 


a  continent 
ontinent  of 
search  of ; 
low  to  be  a 
one  of  the 
jm  the  gai- 

ires  of  the 
the  Sea  of 
id,  being  in 
conchided 
nee  of  the 
ot  a  man  to 
of  the  un- 
>vtified  him- 
,  Strabo,  St. 
1  stoutly  to 
1  the  site  of 
le  exclaimed 
lest  country 


COLUMBUS  THE  NAVIGATOR.  O'D 

Columbus  arrived  at  Hispaniola  a  physical 
wreck.  The  defects  in  his  eyesight  had  grown 
so  serious  that  "  he  could  no  longer  take  observa- 
tions or  keep  a  look-out,  but  had  to  trust  to  tlie 
reports  of  the  pilots  and  mariners."  Throughout 
the  voyage  "  he  had  been  parched  and  consumed 
by  fever,  racked  by  gout,  and  his  whole  system 
disordered  by  incessant  watchfulness;  he  came 
into  port  haggard,  emaciated,  and  almost  blind." 
But  his  spirit  was  as  intrei)id  as  ever. 

A  fresh  source  of  anxiety  awaited  him  in  His- 
paniola, and  retarded  those  discoveries  he  was 
burning  to  pursue.  Affairs  in  the  colony  had 
gone  all  awry  during  his  absence,  and  the  natives 
were  in  a  state  of  hostility  to  the  colonists,  mainly 
because  so  many  of  their  number  Iiad  been  cap- 
tured and  sent  back  to  Europe  as  slaves.  In  fact, 
Columbus  himself  was  an  advocate  of  this  trade  in 
human  flesh,  and  in  his  despatches  he  proposes 
that  "  the  masters  of  vessels  were  to  receive  slaves 
from  the  colonists,  were  to  carry  them  to  Spain 


rilUMliiiri'' 


1**^ 


200  COLUMUUfi  THE  NAVlCATOli. 

and  pay  tor  their  niainteuaiiee  during  the  voyage  ; 
they  were  then  to  aUow  the  colonists  so  much 
money,  payable  at  Seville,  in  pr.,porti(,n  to  the 
number  oi  shives  brought  over.     This  nu.ney  they 
would    expend  according    to    the    orders    o£  the 
colonists,  ^vho  ^vould  thus  be   enabled  to  obtain 
such  goods  as  they  might  stand  in  need  of."     The 
feelings  of  the  natives  in  the  matter  Avere  appar- 
ently never  thought  of. 

Cobunbus  soon    settled    the  petty   scpuibbles ; 
"he  reduced  the  Indians  to  subjection  ;  the  mines 
v^ere  prospering  ;  the  Indians  were  to  be  brought 
together  ia  populous  villages,  that  so  they  might 
better  be  taught  the  Christian  faith,  and  serve  as 
vassals  to  the  crown  of  Castile  ;  the  royal  revenues 
^always  a  matter  of  much   concern  to  Columbus) 
would,  he  tlu.ught,  in  three  years  amount  to  sixty 
millions  of  reals ;  and  now  there  was  time  for  him 
to  sit  down,  and  meditate  upon  the  rebuilding  of 
the    temple  of  Jerusalem,  or  the    conversion  of 
Cathay.     If  there  had  been  any  prolonged  quiet 


' 


le  voyage ; 

so  much 
on  to  the 
loney  they 
ns   o£  the 

to  obtain 
of."  The 
»'ere  appai- 

sii[uabbles  ; 
;  the  nunes 
be  bronght 
they  might 
mcl  serve  as 
yal  revenues 
i  CoUmibus) 
)nnt  to  sixty 
time  for  him 
•ebuilding  of 
onversion  of 
)longed  quiet 


COI.r. Minis  THE  NAVIfiATOIi. 


2r,t 


for  him,  such  great  adventures  would  probably 
have  begun  to  form  the  staple  of  his  high  thoughts. 
But  he  had  hardly  enjoyed  more  than  a  month  of 
repose  Avhen  that  evil  came  down  upon  him  which 
'  poured  the  juice  of  aloes  into  the  remaining 
portion  of  his  life.' 

"  The  Catholic  sovereigns  had  hitherto,  upon 
the  whole,  behaved  well  to  Columbus.  He  had 
bitter  enemies  at  court.  People  were  for  ever 
suggesting  to  the  monarchs  that  this  foreigner 
was  doing  wrong.  The  admiral's  son,  Ferdinand, 
gives  a  vivid  picture  of  some  of  the  complaints 
preferred  against  his  father.  He  says,  '  When 
I  was  at  Granada,  at  the  time  the  most  serene 
Prince  Don  Miguel  died,  more  than  fifty  of 
them  (Spaniards  who  had  returned  from  the  In- 
dies), as  men  without  shame,  bought  a  great 
quantity  of  grapes,  and  sat  themselves  down  in 
the  court  of  the  Alhambra,  uttering  loud  cries, 
saying,  that  their  Highnesses  and  the  admiral 
made  them  live  in  this  poor  fashion  on  account 


062  COL  UMB  US  TUB  NA  VIGA  TOli. 

of  the  bad  pay  tliey   received,  ^vith  luauy  other 
dishonest  and  unseemly  things,  which   they  kept 
repeating.     Such  ^^as  their  effrontery  that  Avhen 
the  CathoUc  king-  came  forth  they  all  surrounded 
him  and  got  him  hito  the  midst  of   them,  saying, 
u  Pay  1  pay,"  and  if  by  chance  I  and  my  brother, 
who  Avere  pages  to  the  most  serene    Queen,  hap- 
pened to  pass  where  they  were,  they  shouted  to 
the  very  heavens  saying,  "  Look  at  the  sons  of 
the  admiral    of  Moscpiitoland.  of  that  man  who 
had  discovered  the  lands  of  deceit  and  disappoint- 
ment, a  place  of  s(>pulchre  and   wretchedness  to 
Spanish  hidalgos:  "adding  many  other  insulting 
expressions,  on  which  account   we  excused  oui- 
selves  from  passing  by  them.'  " 

«  Unjust  clamor,  like  the  above,  would  not 
alone  have  turned  the  hearts  of  the  Catholic  sov- 
ereigns  against  Colmnbus ;  but  this  clamor  was 
supported  by  serious  grounds  for  dissatisfaction 
\n  the  state  and  prospects  of  the  colony  ;  and 
when  there  is  a  constant  stream  of  enmity  and 


COLL'MJiUS  THE  XAllCATon. 


•2t;3 


my  other 
they  kept 
that  when 
iirrounded 
m,  saying, 
y  brother, 
ueen,  hap- 


shou 


ted  to 
le  sons  of 


man  who 
disappoint- 
hedness  to 
r  insulting 
:cused  oui-- 

would  not 
lathoUc  sov- 
clamor  was 
ssatisfaction 
iolony ;  and 
enmity  and 


prejudice  against  a  man,  liis  conduct  or  his  tor- 
tune  will,  some  day  or  other,  olVer  an  opportunity 
for  it  to  rush  in  upon  him.  However  this  may 
be,  soon  after  the  return  oF  the  live  vessels  from 
St.  Domingo,  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  appear  to 
have  ti  ken  into  serious  consideration  the  ques- 
tion of  suspending  Columbus.  He  had,  himself, 
in  the  letters  transmitted  by  these  ships,  re.piested 
that  some  one  might  be  sent  to  conduct  the 
affairs  of  justice  in  the  colony  ;  but,  if  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella  began  by  merely  looking  out  few 
such  an  officer,  they  endetl  in  resolving  to  send 
one  who  should  take  the  civil  as  well  as  judicial 
authority  into  his  own  hands.  This  determination 
was  not,  however,  acted  upon  hastily.  On  the 
21st  of  March,  1490,  they  authorised  Francis  do 
Bobadilla  '  to  ascertain  what  pert ;  u  have  raised 
themselves  against  justice  in  the  island  of  His- 
paniola,  and  to  proceed  against  them  according  to 
law.'  On  the  21st  of  May,  1499,  they  conferred 
upon  this  officer  the  government,  and   signed  an 


:f'7^s?'^^Tr^^fr,^:«^''%^t^r^''^''''^f?^'•i'^'^^^ 


SStl 


J-^\ 


kai:;^/;; 


m^: 


COLUMBUS  TlIK  A.I  \  K.lK'l!.  2b5 

order  that  all  arms  and  fortwssos  in  the  Indies 
should  he  given  up  ti»  him.  On  the  "J()th  of  the 
same  month,  they  };ave  him  the  followino-  re- 
markahle  letter  to  Cohunhus  : — 

"'Don  Christopher  Cohnnhus,  our  Admiral  of 
the  Ocean  :  We  have  commiuded  the  C(miau(la(h)r 
Francis  de  Bohadilla,  tlie  hearer  of  this,  that  he 
speak  to  von  on  our  {),irt  some  thinj^-s  which  he 
will  tell  you;  we  i)ray  you  <>ive  him  faitli  and 
credence,  and  act  accordingly. 

"  '  I  the  Kino-,  I  the  Queen. 
"  '  By  their  command, 

"  '  Mit^uel  Perez  de  Almazan.' 
"  Bohadilla,  however,  was  not  sent  from  Spain 
untd  the  hej>-innint;'  of  duly,  1500,  and  did  not 
make  his  appearance  in  Ilispaniola  till  tlu'  23d 
of  Auo-ust  of  the  sanu'  year.  Their  Hiji'hnesses, 
therefore,  must  have  taken  tinu'  hefore  carrying- 
their  resolve  into  execution  ;  and  what  they  meant 
by  it  is  dubious.  Certaiidy,  not  that  the  matter 
should  have  been  transacted  in   the   coarse   way 


•JCtl  COLVMUVS  THE  NAVIGATOR. 

which  Bobadilla  iidopted.  It  Is  a  great  pity,  and 
a  sad  instance  of  mistaken  jndgment,  that  they 
fixed  upon  him  for  theii'  agent." 

BobadiUa's  first  act  was  to  seize  the  admiral's 
house,  and  sumnutn  Cohnnhus  before  him  for 
examination.  No  resistance  was  olfered  by  either 
CoUimbus  or  his  brothers,  and  BobadiUa  promptly 
put  them  all  in  chains,  and  shipped  them  off  to 
Si)ain ! 

And  now  charges  came  thick  and  fast  against 
the  cajred  lion ;  the  historian  Ilerrera  says  that 
"  the  stones  rose  up  against  him  and  his  brothers." 
Members  of  the  various  expeditions  "  told  how  he 
had   made    them   work,  even    sick   men,  at   his 
fortresses,  at  his  house,  at  the  mills,  and  other 
buildings ;  how  he  had  starved  them  ;  how  he  had 
condemned  men  to  be  whipped  for  the  slightest 
causes,  as,  for  instance,  for  stealing  a  peck  of 
wheat  when  they  were  dying  of  hunger.     Con- 
sidering the  difficulties  he  had  to  deal  with,  and 
the  scarcity  of  provisions,  many  of  these  accusa- 


t  pity,  and 
that  they 

e  admiral's 
e  hhn  for 
d  by  either 
a  promptly 
liem  off  to 

ast  against 
I  says  that 
;  brothers." 
old  how  he 
len,  at   his 

and  other 
how  he  had 
he  slightest 

a  peek  of 
iger.  Con- 
\[  with,  and 
lese  aceusa- 


COIA'MliUS  THE  XAVIGATOli.  r>67 

tions,  if  rightly  examined,  would  probably  have 
not  merely  failed  in  producing  anything  against 
Columbus,  but  would  have  developed  some  proofs 
of  his  firmness  and  sagacity  as  a  governor.  Then 
his  accusers  went  on  to  other  grounds,  such  as  his 
not  having  baptized  Indians,  '  because  he  desired 
slaves  rather  than  Christians.'  " 

The  charges  were  either  frivolous  or  malicious, 
and  were  all  capable  of  explanation.  Few  men, 
possessing  the  romantic  and  enthusiastic  spirit  of 
Columbus,  woidd  have  acted  with  the  good  sense 
and  moderation  which,  on  the  whole,  characterized 
his  deahnffs  with  the  natives  of  the  West  Indies. 

However,  the  immediate  effect  of  Bobadilla's 
deposition  of  Colund)us  was  to  end  his  career  as 
governor  of  the  Indies.  "  His  chains  lay  heavily 
upon  him,  nor  would  he  allow  them  to  be  removed 
unless  by  royal  command." 

''The  career  of  Columbus  had  already  been 
marked  by  strong  contrasts.  First,  a  '  pauper 
pilot,'  then  the  viceroy  of  a  new  world;    alter- 


'^rJ^■?Rtl^'^||>^-U'fgJB.'-^''^-i■M*lW■W^■gKe»-*fa^?^ 


1 


I 


f'.,/..M,',./s  ,v.  h/  ^l  f^imiii  111  Chnirnt, 


Ka 


COL  UMli  US  THE  NA  VIG .  I  TOli.  2fi{J 

nately  hoping  and  fearing-,  despondent,  and  trium- 
phant, he  had  passed  through  strange  vicissi- 
tudes of  good  and  evil  fortune.  But  no  two 
events  in  his  Ufe  stand  out  in  stronger  contrast  to 
each  other  than  his  return  to  Spain  after  his  first 
voyage  and  his  return  now.  He  was  then  a  con- 
queror; he  was  now  a  prisoner.  He  was  then 
the  idol  of  popular  favor ;  he  was  now  the  un- 
popular victim  of  insidious  maligners.  In  truth, 
the  contrast  was  so  startling  as  to  strike  home  to 
the  hearts  of  the  common  people,  even  of  those — 
and  there  were  many  such — who  had  lost  kinsmen 
or  friends  in  that  fatal  quest  for  gold  which  the 
admiral  had  originated  and  stimulated.  The 
broad  fact  was  this  :  Columbus  had  given  Spain  a 
new  world ;  Spain  loaded  him  with  fetters  in  re- 
turn. There  was  a  reaction.  The  current  of 
public  opinion  began  to  turn  in  his  favor.  The 
nation  became  conscious  of  ingratitude  to  its  bene- 
factor. The  nobility  were  shocked  at  the  insult 
to  one  of  their  own  order.     And,  no  sooner  had 


IlLiWWWl" —*■'"■«*« 


fl) 


•270  (■OLUMBU!^  THE  NAVlGATOli. 

the   sovereigns   learned   from   Columbus   of  his 
arrival,  and  of  his  disgrace,  than  they  issued  im- 
mediate orders  for  his  hberation,  and  summoned 
him  to  their  court  at  Granada,  forwarding  money 
to  enable  him  to  proceed  there  in  a  style  befitting 
his  rank.     They  then  received  him  with  all  pos- 
sible signs  of  distinction  ;  repudiated  Bobadilla's 
arbitrary  proceedings  ;  and  promised  the  admiral 
compensation  and   satisfaction.     As  a  mark  of 
their  disapprobation  of  the  way  in  which  Bobadilla 
had  acted  under  their  commission,  they  pointedly 
refused  to  incpiire  into  the  charges  against  Colum- 
bus, and  dismissed  them  as  not  worthy  of  investi- 
gation." 

The  fire  of  adventure  still  blazed  in  the  breast 
of  the  rugged  old  admiral.  He  sought  a  private 
audience  with  Queen  Isabella,  and  into  her  sym- 
pathetic ear  poured  out  the  story  of  his  wrongs. 
It  was  promised  that  the  sway  of  the  new  govei- 
nor  should  last  for  two  years  only,  when  it  was 
hoped  that  the  reins  of  government  might  be 


JUS  of  his 
issued  im- 
summoned 
[ing  money 
le  befitting 
th  all  pos- 
Bobadilla's 
the  admiral 
a  mark  of 
li  Bobadilla 
y  pointedly 
inst  Colum- 
j  of  investi- 

the  breast 
it  a  private 
o  her  sym- 
liis  wrongs, 
new  govei"- 
vhen  it  was 
t  might  be 


COLUMBUS  THE  SAVlGATOll.  '271 

a<'"ain  entrusted  to  Ctdumbus.  Already  murmurs 
of  discontent  were  heard  at  Bobadilla's  actions. 
He  harried  the  natives,  made  slaves  of  them  all, 
and  succeeded  in  wringing  from  them  four  times 
as  much  gold  as  did  Columbus.  Charged  with 
the  most  minute  instructions  as  to  his  conduct 
of  the  affairs  of  the  colonies,  a  new  governor, 
Nicholas  de  Ovando,  left  Spain  on  February  13, 
1502,  with  command  of  twenty-five  hundred 
adventurers. 

Meantime  Columbus  chated  at  his  force:l  inac- 
tivity, and  he  soon  laid  a  new  scheme  before  the 
monarchs  of  Spain.  He  had  long  held  the  theory 
that  somewhere  tliere  was  a  strait  leading  from 
the  vichiity  of  St.  Domingo  to  the  East  Indies 
where  the  Portuguese  held  sway,  and  from  which 
they  were  already  drawing  vast  riches.  He  pei- 
suaded  the  sovereigns  to  furnish  him  with  the 
necessary  ships  to  put  this  theory  to  the  test.  To 
this  they  agreed,  and  in  May,  1502,  Columbus 
and  his  brother  Bartholomew  and  his  second  son 
Fernando,  set  sail  fiom  Cadiz. 


■1 


272 


COLUMinrS  THE  SAVKiATOli. 


Martinique  was  reached  on  June  V,\,  and  after 
refitting,  set  sail  for  Jamaica  July  14th.      "  For 
about  nine  weeks  he  made  so  little  progress  that 
his  crews  began  to  clamor  for  tlie  abandonment 
of  the  expedition.     The  ships  were   worm-eaten 
and  leaky.     Provisions  were  running  short.     The 
seamen  had  seen  their  commander  thrust  away 
from  what  might  be  called  his  own  door  ;  and  the 
sight  of  his  powerlessness  had  strengthened  their 
independence  until  it  amounted  to  insubordination. 
Fortunately,  however,  before  the  discontent  broke 
out  into  open  mutiny,  a  breeze  sprang  up  from 
the  east,  and  the  admiral  easily  persuaded  his 
unruly  crews  that  it  was  better  to  prosecute  their 
voyage  than  to  remain  beating  about  the  islets 
Avaiting  to  return  home." 

At  length  they  came  in  sight  of  the  coast  of 
Honduras,  along  Avhich  they  coasted  to  the  east- 
ward as  far  as  Cape  Gracias  a  Dios,  so  named  in 
gratitude  for  a  timely  shift  of  wind  which  enabled 
them  to  continue  their  coastwise  voyage.     A  few 


',],  and  after 
4th.     "  For 
ii'osri'ess  that 
ibandonment 
worm-eaten 
short.     The 
thrust  away 
3or ;  and  the 
;thened  their 
iihordination. 
ontent  broke 
mg  up  from 
ersuaded  his 
•osecute  their 
)ut  the  islets 

the  coast  of 

to  the  east- 

so  named  in 

kvhich  enabled 

irage.     A  few 


27^ 


COLlMins  THE  yAVlGATOU. 

weeks  later  the  Bay  of  Panama  was  reached,  and 
the  fleet  again  refitted  and  watered,  but  still  there 
were  no  signs  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Grand  Khan  ! 
But  the  admiral  lingered  on  the  coast  of  Central 
America,  until  December  5th,  when  a  violent  hur- 
ricane was  like  to  have  wrecked  the  caravels. 
After  buffeting  the  waves  for  a  week  they  gained 
the  mouth  of  a  river,  which  Columbus  named 
Bethlehem,  having  entered  it  on  the  day  of  Epiph- 
any. 

Here  they  heard  of  a  powerful  cacique  named 
Quibia,  lord  of  some  marvelous  gold  mines. 
They  managed  to  obtain  large  (puintities  of  the 
precious  metal,  so  that  Columbus  was  sure  that 
he  had  at  last  come  to  the  very  Aurea  Chersonesus 
from  which  Solomon  had  collected  the  gold  for 
the  Temple  at  Jerusalem  !  Here  a  settlement  was 
founded  with  about  eighty  coh)nists.  Huts  were 
built,  and  supplies  sent  ashore,  Columbus  immedi- 
ately setting  sail  for  Spain  for  reinforcements. 
But  before  the  ships  had  gained  the  sea-breeze 


ill 


!       I 


«J7I  coiAMiirs  Tin:  XAVKiATon. 

the  >Spaniai(ls  <>()t  into  a  Moody  fight  witli  the 
natives  and  many  were  kiUed.  The  lesuh,  was 
that  the  ecdonv  was  abandoned  and  the  survivors 
were  taken  aboard  tiie  Heet  once  in(»re.  But  now 
the  ships  were  found  to  be  utterly  uiiseaworthy, 
so  Cohunbus  ran  tlieni  ashore  on  the  eoast  of 
Janiaiea,  built  huts  on  deek  for  liousin<>'  the  erewm, 
and  sent  uu'ssen<>ers  to  Ovando  in  Ilispanioki 
askin«^-  for  a  ship  to  carry  them  all  to  8i)ain. 

Months  wentbv  and  no  succor  came  ;  the  crews 
mutinied  and  were  on  the  point  of  starting"  for 
HispanioLi  in  native  canoes.  From  this  mad  i)ro- 
ject  thev  were  diverted  by  the  threatenin<;-  hos- 
tility of  the  Indians,  which  was  only  averted  by 
Cohunbus  foretelling  an  eclii)se  of  the  moon, 
which  he  said  he  had  called  down  from  heaven 
to  punish  them  for  their  bad  conduct.  The 
eclipse  arrived  punctually,  and  once  more  the  star 
of  the  white  men  was  in  the  ascendant. 

When  ei<»ht  uumths  had  rolled  bv  a  caravel 
arrived  from  Ovaiido  with  some  triHing'  presents 


Olt. 

ii;Iit  with  the 
le   result   was 

the  survivors 
•re.     But  now 

uiiseaworthy, 

the  eoast  of 
^iii<>'  the  erews, 
in  Ilispaniohi 
to  8i)aiii. 
nie  ;  the  enws 
i'  startins>"  for 

this  mad  pro- 
leateiiint''  hos- 
Illy  averted  hy 
of  the  moon, 
from  heaven 
onduet.  The 
'  more  the  star 
hint. 

I  hy   a  earavel 
itiiiig  presents 


(oi.i  Mills  Tin:  .\AVi<.Mi)i!.  -j:.') 

f,,r  Cohnnhus,  and  promising;  speedy  succ-or.  But 
it  was  not  until  June  '1'!^,  ir)04,  !i  v<'ai-  after  the 
heaeiiin"-  of  the  worn-out  vessels,  that  the  Si)an- 
iards  were  <.laddeiu"d  l)y  the  si<;ht  of  two  earavels 
(■(.mint;-  to  their  relief,  under  the  command  of 
Ovando  in  perscm.  In  less  than  a  numth 
Columhus  was  once  uu)re  on  the  hij>h  seas,  the 
prows  of  his  sliips  pointin<>  toward  Spain. 

Misfortunes   still  pursued  him  ;  fearful  storms 
swept    the    Atlantic  ;     twice    th«'    ship    was    dis- 
masted and   in  danger  of   foundering- ;  added  to 
which  wai  the  fact  that  the  admiral's  health   was 
steadilv    succumhiuo-   to   the   attacks   of    dise.ise. 
On  the  other   haml  he  could   expect  no  very  en- 
thusiastic reception  at  court.     On   every  hand  he 
had    failed.      He    had    discovered    no    strait,    he 
l)roui>ht  home  no  «;()ld,  and  he  had  lost  his  ships. 
So,    "  }»rostrated    hy    sickness,  lu'arly    ruined  in 
means,  and  hopeless  of  eucoura<-'ement  from  the 
sovereigns,  the    discoverer    of    the    New    World 
arrived  at  Seville  on  the  7th  of  November,  1504, 


1 


y 


COLUMISUS  Till-:  NAVKlATOn. 


•J77 


in  as  miserable  a  plioht  as  his  worst  enemy  could 
desire."  To  add  to  his  sorrow,  his  best  friend 
was  no  more,  for  Queen  Isabella  died  on  the  2Gth 
of  Novend)er. 

Columbus  had  previously  written  to  the  sov- 
ereigns that  he  was  too  ill  to  wait  on  them  at 
court,  though  still  proffering  his  services.  But 
the  end  was  near.  Having  received  the  conso- 
lations of  the  Church,  and  uttering  as  his  last 
words,  "  Into  thy  hands,  0  Lord,  I  commend  my 
spirit,"  the  gallant  explorer  died  at  Valladolid  on 
Ascension  Day,  May  20th,  I  ."500. 

"  His  body  was  deposited  in  the  convent  of  St. 
Francisco,  and  his  obseciuies  were  celebrated  with 
funeral  pomp  at  Valladolid,  in  the  parochial 
church  of  Santa  Maria  de  la  Antigua.  His  re- 
mains were  transported  afterwards,  in  1513,  to 
the  Carthusian  monastery  of  Las  Cuevas  of 
Seville,  to  the  chapel  of  St.  Ann  or  of  Santo 
Christo,  in  which  chapel  were  likewise  deposited 
those  of  his  son  Don   Diego,  who  died   in  the 


278 


coLiwfurs  Tin-:  .v.i  l■;^■.l7■o/f. 


village  of  Montalban,  on  the  23(1  of  February, 
1526.  In  the  year  15130  the  bodies  of  Columbus 
and  his  son  Diejjo  were  renu)ved  to  Hispaniola, 
and  interred  in  the  i)rinei[)al  ehapel  of  the 
cathedral  of  the  city  of  San  Domingo  ;  but  even 
here  they  did  not  rest  in  quiet,  having  sinee  been 
again  disinterred,  and  conveyed  to  Havana,  in  the 
island  of  Cuba." 

Ferdinand  ordered  a  monument  to  be  erected 
to  the  menun-y  of  C(dund>us  bearing  these  wonls ; 
"To  Castile  and  Leon  Columbus  gave  a  New 
World." 

He  died  in  total  ignorance  of  the  importance 
of  his  discovery.  Its  reality  exceeded  by  far  his 
own  wildest  dreams.  "■  Until  his  last  breath," 
says  Irving,  "  he  entertained  the  idea  that  he  had 
merely  o[)ened  a  lu'w  way  to  the  old  resorts  of 
opulent  connnerce,  and  had  discovered  s<uue  of 
the  wild  regions  of  the  Pjast.  lie  sui)posed  His- 
paniola to  be  the  ancient  Oi)hir  which  had  been 
visited  by  the  ships  of  Sohmion,  and  that  Cuba 


i«iii 


)f'  February, 
of  Coluiubus 
I  Hispaniola, 
apel  of  the 
>o  ;  Imt  even 
isr  since  been 
[avana,  in  the 


to  be  erected 
these  words ; 


<>"ave  a  New 


e  importance 
ed  by  far  his 
hist  breath," 
a  that  he  had 
>hl  resorts  of 
ered  s<nne  of 
iU})[)osed  Ilis- 
ieh  had  been 
nd  that  Cuba 


COLUMIiUS  TIIK  yAVIUATOli.  'll'd 

and  Terra  Firma  were  but  remote  parts  of  Asia. 
What  visions  of  gh)ry  wouhl  liave  broken  upon 
his  mind  eoukl  he  have  known  that  he  had  indeed 
discovered  a  new  continent,  equal  to  the  whole  of 
the  Old  World  in  magnitud",  and  separate  by 
two  vast  oceans  from  all  the  earth  hitherto  known 
by  civili7,ed  man  !  A)id  how  would  his  magnan- 
imous spirit  have  been  consoled,  amidst  the  afflic- 
tions of  age  and  the  cares  of  penury,  the  neglect 
of  a  fickle  ])ublif,  and  the  injustice  of  an  ungrate- 
ful king,  could  he  have  anticipated  the  splen- 
did empires  which  were  to  spread  over  the 
beautiful  world  he  had  discovered ;  and  the 
nations,  and  tongues,  and  languages  which  were 
to  fill  its  lands  with  his  renown,  and  revere  and 
bless  his  name  to  the  latest  posterity  !  " 

"  Inexpressibly  melancholy,"  says  a  recent 
writer,  "■  is  the  story  of  the  reverses  in  the  fortune 
of  Columbus,  and  of  the  chmds  that  darken  his 
declining  years.  The  very  enthusiasm  with  which 
he  had  described  the  riches  and  resources  of  the 


SunoVs  Statue'of  Columbus,  Central  Park,  JSew  York. 


fc,  iVew  York. 


COLUMBUS  rUE  NAVIGATOR.  281 

New  "World  caused  more  to  be  expected  of  him 
than  he  could  accomplish.     He  was  the  constant 
victim   of   intrigue.     His   colonists   sent   to  the 
Court  misstatements  of  his  management  and  his 
motives,  and  one  of  the  most  devout,  sincere,  and 
unselfish  of  men  was  depicted  as  a  sordid  and 
lying  adventurer.     It  was  his  destiny  to  drink 
the  cup  of  ingratitude  to  the  dregs.     With  Queen 
Isabella  dead,  his  subordinates  conspiring  against 
him,  and  the  cold-hearted  Ferdinand  neglecting 
him,  one  by  one  the  pledges  that  had  been  re- 
ceived from  his  patroness  were  left  unredeemed. 
Broken  in  health,  half  blind,  he  spent  years  in 
seeking  audience  of  kings  and  ministers,  and  in 
his  later  life,  to  the  pangs  of  physical  suffering 
were  added  the  torture  of  seeing  others  wearing 
the  honors  due  himself.     Finally  he  was  reduced 
to  begging  a  loan  of  money  to  buy  a  cot  upon 
which  to  die.     It  is  all  a   most   dramatic   and 
pathetic  story,— the  rise  from  a  humble  workshop 
to  the  pinnacle  of  renown  as  the  discoverer  of  a 


2SO  COLUMinS  THE  yAVIGATOR. 

New   World,    followed   by   a  steady    sinking  to 
poverty  and  neglect,  ending  with  death  in  a  lodg- 
iuo-honse.     He  died  nttering  as   his  last  words 
those  of  Christ  on  the  cross ;  but  the  h)cal  Cron- 
icon,  which  collects   all  the  details  of    city  life, 
has    not     even    a     word    of    mention     of    his 
death  for  that  year.     After  his  death  his  fame 
quickly   reached  th.'   zenith.     Not  the  least  mar- 
vellous of  the  gifts  of  Colund)Us  was  his  extraor- 
dinary power  of  detailed  observation,   which  at- 
tracted the  pr..found  admiration   of  Humboldt. 
Not  a  change   in   c.mpass  or  current,  not  a  wisp 
of  floating  weed  or  flight  of  birds,  escai.ed  his 
studious  eye,  and  his  recorded  inferences  and  con- 
clusions would  alone  place  him  among  the  wisest 

of  mankhul." 

Enough  has  been  said  in  the  foregoing  pages 

to  show  that  "  Columbus  never  saw,  much   less 

stood  upon,  the  shores  of  the  continent  of  North 

America.     In  n«»  sense  was  he  the  discoverer  of 

that  great  country  which  is   now  known  by  the 


OR. 

ly  sinking  to 
eiitli  in  a  lodg- 
iiis  last  words 
lie  local  Cron- 
Is  «)t'  city  life, 
ntion  of  liis 
leath  his  fame 

the  least  niai- 
vas  his  extraoi- 
tion,   Avhich  at- 

of  liuniholdt. 
ent,  not  a  wisp 
Is,  escaped  his 
erences  and  con- 
luonjr  the  wisest 

foregoing-  pages 
Hiiw,  nuu'h  less 
itinent  of  North 
lie  discoverer  of 
w  known  hy  the 


COL IMIi US  THE  SA VWA TOR.  283 

name   of  the   United  States  of  America.       His 
gold-lmnting    expeditions  were    confined  to   the 
illands,  and  the  adjacent  coasts   of    Smith  and 
Central  America."     The  very  situation  of  the  first 
land  he  saw  is  douhtf  nl,  though  Watling  Island 
is  now  generally  accepted  as  the  site  of   the   his- 
toric  landfall ;  and  it  was  from   this   spot   that 
he  wrote  home  to  their  Catholic  majesties  that  he 
should  he  able  to  supply  them  with  all  the  gold 
they   needed,  with  spices,  cotton,   mastic,  aloes, 
rhuharh,  cinnamon,  and  slaves."     At  one  time 
the  great  admiral  bade  fair  to  discover  the  Flor- 
idian  peninsula,  but  he  changed  his  course  to  the 
southwest  in  search  of  his  chimerical  Cipango. 

To  the  English— the  near  kin  and  blood-rela- 
tions of  the  descendants  of  Leif  Ericson  and  his 
Vikings— belongs  the  honor  of  re-discovering  the 
forgotten  continent  of  North  America  of  which 
our  own  land  forms  a  part ;  and  the  Cabots— 
John  the  father,  and  Louis,  Sebastian,  and 
Sancho,  the  sons-in  U97,  in    a   Bristol  ship 


OS4  CVL  L'Mli r.S  THE  NA  VIGA TOH. 

called  the  Matt/nir,  were  the  first  to  set  foot  on 
the  mainland,  coasting  from  Labrador  to  the  lati- 
tude of  Cape  Hatteras. 

The  voyages  of  the  Cahots  to  North  America 
were  followed  hy  those  of  Cortereal,  a  Portuguese, 
in  1500  and  laOl  ;  hy  those  of  various  seamen 
from  1500  to  15;J0  ;  hy  those  of  Jacciues  Car- 
tier  for  exploration  and  discovery  in  1534-:r),- 
•41,43.  Curiously  enougli,  during  th«  first  fifty 
years  of  the  10th  century,  we  find  all  the  nuiri- 
uers  taking  one  of  two  known  routes — the  ex- 
treme southerly  course  fcdlowed  hy  the  Spaiiiards 
aiul  the  etpudiy  extreme  northerly  one  traversed 
by  the  Northmen  aiul  later  by  the  English. 

Various  abortive  attempts  at  settlemeut  were 
made.  "  The  first  colonists  in  1585  had  to  be 
taken  off  in  1580.  The  lirst  real  effort  at  coloni- 
zation on  United  States  territory  was  that  of  Sir 
Walter  Raleigh,  and  out  of  repeated  failures  arose 
the  formation  of  the  Virginia,  the  London,  and 
the  Plymouth  Companies,  the  domain  of  the  lat- 


rou. 

to  set  foot  on 
dor  to  the  lati- 

Nortli  America 
I,  a  Portuguese, 
various  seamen 
t'  Jac(iue8  Car- 
•y  in    l^IM-IJ;"),- 
o-  tli«  first  tiftv 
id  all  the  mari- 
routes — the  ex- 
y  the  Spaniards 
y  one  traversed 
;  English, 
settlement  were 
1585  had  to  he 
effort  at  colon  i- 
was  that  of  Sir 
;ed  failures  arose 
le  London,   and 
imain  of  the  lat- 


fo/j'.v/jrs  77//:  v.ir/'.'.iro/.'.  -jk.') 

ter  extending  from  Long  Island  Sound  to  Maine. 
The  Plymouth  (Jomi.any  dissolvcl  in  its  turn, 
and  made  n.om  for  the  hist.>ric  settlement  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers  at  Plymouth  Rock  in  1(320." 

.•  Honor   to   wlumi   lumor   is    due  !  "      Not  hy 
the  southern  route  across   the   Atlantic  followed 
hy  C.lumhus,  nor  to  the  Spaniards,  must  we  look 
for  the  lu.ginnings  of  a  civilized  and  enlightened 
g<,vernnu.nt  in  the  north.MU    half   of   our   c<.nti- 
nent.     ''  A  settlement    in  Fh)rida  and   a    line  of 
missions    and    feehle  colonies   along    the   PaciHc 
coast  are  the  chief  claims  that  can  he  made  hy 
Spain  to  anything  like  a  share   in   the  lu.nor  of 
having  helped  to  founder  form  the  present  nation." 
The    real    discoverers   and     colonizers,    whose 
descendants     became     the     dominant      race     in 
America,    were    of    English  affiliation,  hirth,   or 
descent,  and  their  sh.w  keels  were  wafted  hither 
by  tbe  same  tempestuous  gales  that  drove  the 
hissing  spray  along  the  bulwarks  of  the  Viking 
ships  five  hundred  years  before. 


mi 


1 


